Pictorial 

Landscape 

Photography. 


By  JOHN  A.  HODGES. 

F.  R.  P.  S. 


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PICTORIAL 


LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY 


By  JOHN  A.  HODGES,  F.  R.  P.  S., 

Author  of  “ Practical  Enlarging,”  ‘‘  Elementary  Photography,” 
” Lantern-Slide  Manual  ” ‘‘  Photographic  Lenses,”  Etc. 


CHICAGO: 

I'he  Photo-Beacon  Company. 

1901. 

Eastern  Office:  611-621  Broadway,  New  York. 


Copyright,  1900, 
By  F.  Dundas  Todd. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  ]. 


PACK 


InTRODI’CTION 


7 


CHAPTER  II. 

r 

Pictorial  Mkthods 


15 


CHAPTER  III. 

On  Pkrsppx'tivk  and  Anc.lk  of  \'ikw 23 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Thk  Sky,  and  How  to  Photograph  it 32 


CHAPTER  V. 

Composition  and  thp:  Arrancje.mknt  of  thk  Sfhjkct  . . 41 


CHAPTER  W. 


.Selection  of  .Sithjkct 


53 


CHAPTICR  VII. 


Control 


63 


3 


4 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Thk  Fokkc'.kouni)  AM)  ITS  Tkkatmknt ...  82 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Eandscapk  with  I^'K'.CKKS 90 

CHAPTER  X. 

.SUHJKCTS  AND  THKIR  Trp:ATMP:NT — EXPRESSION’,  ATMOS- 
PHERE, Ivrc TOO 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Printing,  Mounting,  Ivrc. — CoxNCLi  sion 107 


I 


Fig.  13. 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE 
PHOTOGRAPHY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Perhaps  a few  words  to  niy  brother  photographers 
in  America,  by  way  of  introducing  myself  and  my 
object  in  writing  this  series  of  articles  on  “ Pictorial 
Landscape  Photography,”  may  not  be  without  value. 

Photography  has  made,  during  the  last  few  years, 
both  in  Europe  and  in  America,  very  great  advances 
from  the  purely  artistic  or  picture-making  ])oint  of 
view,  and  many  who  practice  i)hotography,  and  who 
possess,  though  untrained,  the  true  artistic  instinct,  are 
desirous  of  learning  how  their  technical  skill  in  the  use 
of  the  camera  and  lens  may  he  directed  to  the  produc- 
tion of  artistic  work.  My  chief  object  in  penning  these 
articles  will  be  to  assist  them  in  fulfilling  their  desire. 

Let  me,  however,  at  the  outset,  disavow  any  inten- 
tion of  writing  a treatise  on  art.  Many  handbooks  on 
that  subject  are  already  in  existence,  in  which  it  has 
been  treated  by  hands  far  abler  than  my  own.  I shall, 
of  course,  refer  to  those  general  principles,  the  so- 
called  “ rules  of  composition,”  in  so  far  as  they  can  be 


7 


8 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


applied  to  the  making  of  pictures  by  means  of  photog- 
raphy, and  I shall  endeavor,  as  far  as  possible,  to  illus- 
trate their  application  by  reproductions  from  actual 
photographs. 

It  will  be  well,  perhaps,  at  the  very  outset,  for  the 
reader  to  realize  the  actual  position  of  photography  as 
a means  of  pictorial  expression.  The  photographer 
may  say  to  himself : “ This  scene  is  very  beautiful ; it 
appeals  strongly  to  my  artistic  instincts ; I will  photo- 
graph it,  because  such  a photograph  must  necessarily 
be  pictorial.”  But  it  by  no  means  follows  that  that 
photograph  when  taken  will  be  a work  of  art.  The 
beauty  or  the  picturesqueness  of  the  scene  may  have 
produced  in  the  photographer’s  mind  a general  impres- 
sion of  those  qualities,  to  the  entire  exclusion  of  many 
incongruous  details  which  the  unerring  fidelity  of  the 
lens  renders  in  the  photograph  with  an  all  too  fatal 
prominence. 

One  of  the  first  things,  therefore,  that  the  reader 
must  endeavor  to  appreciate  is  that  nature  is  not  neces- 
sarily art,  and  that  if  we  would  be  artist  photographers 
we  must  do  something  more  than  produce  literal  tran- 
scripts of  nature.  We  learn,  likewise,  that  the  lens 
lacks  the  discriminating  power  of  the  painter’s  brush, 
and  gives  equal  prominence  alike  to  minor  details  as  to 
the  principal  object  in  the  picture. 

With  all  its  limitations,  however,  photography,  for- 
tunately, is  amenable  to  certain  methods  of  control ; 
were  it  otherwise,  artistic  photography  would  be  an 
impossibility,  and  these  notes  could  not  be  written.  It 
will  be  my  endeavor  to  instruct  the  novice  in  the  vari- 
ous methods  which  are  open  to  him  by  which  he  may 
modify  the  natural  tendency  of  the  lens  to  give  a too 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


9 


literal,  or  matter-of-fact,  or  commonplace  rendering  ol 
the  subject  portrayed. 

lint  in  order  that  the  reader  may  be  in  a position  to 
follow  the  advice  which  will  hereafter  be  given,  it  is 
necessary  that  he  should  be  in  possession  of  suitable 
apparatus,  and,  therefore,  as  a preliminary  to  dealing 
with  the  theoretical  and  practical  aspect  of  the  subject, 
it  will  be  useful  to  give  the  question  of  apparatus  some 
consideration. 

The  photographer  who  would  aspire  to  the  produc- 
tion of  pictorial  photographs  must  be  properly  equipped 
for  his  work.  If,  for  example,  he  attempts  to  do  every- 
thing with  one  lens  he  will  find  himself  tremendously 
handicapped,  and  at  times  compelled  to  pass  by  sub- 
jects which,  had  he  possessed  a lens  of  suitable  focus, 
might  have  produced  charming  results.  What  painter, 
may  I ask,  would  attempt  to  paint  a picture  of  any  pre- 
tensions, using  for  the  purpose  only  one  brush?  But 
how  much  more  fettered  must  be  the  photographer  who 
with  one  lens  attemj)ts  to  portray  every  scene  which 
appeals  to  his  fancy  or  imagination ! Much  of  the 
adverse  criticism  which  has  been  bestowed  upon  what 
has  been  styled  “ the  untruthfulness  of  photography  ” 
is  traceable  to  this  cause,  and  is  not  the  result  of  any 
inherent  shortcoming  of  the  process,  but  is  solely  the 
fault  of  the  practitioner. 

Considering  how  enormously  the  photographer  is 
fettered,  in  comparison  with  the  painter,  in  regard  to 
choice  of  position  and  general  arrangement  of  the  sub- 
ject alone,  we  hold  that  no  photographer  who  wishes 
to  be  even  moderately  independent  of  his  tools  can  con- 
sider himself  properly  equipped  for  his  work  with  less 
than  three  lenses.  Happily  the  question  of  expense 


lO 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


need  not  arise,  because  the  single  achromatic  lens, 
which  is  the  type  I strongly  recommend,  is  not  only  the 
very  best  that  can  be  used,  but  is  also  the  cheapest.  Of 
these,  three  should  be  selected,  their  focal  lengths  being 
approximately  one  and  a (piarter  times  the  length  of 
the  base  line  of  the  plate,  one  and  a half  times  its 
length,  and  twice  the  length.  These  should  be  set  in 
cells  which  interchange  in  one  mount ; and  as  they  will 


Fig.  I. 


have  to  be  frequently  changed,  a bayonet  joint  will  be 
found  much  more  convenient  in  use  than  a screw.  In 
Fig.  I I have  given  a sketch  of  a convenient  type  of 
mount,  consisting  simply  of  a tube  fitted  with  Water- 
house  or  iris  diaphragms,  which  any  working  optician 
would  make  for  a small  sum ; there  is  not  the  least 
practical  necessity  to  go  to  a great  deal  of  expense. 

Single  lenses,  as  issued  by  the  opticians,  usually 
work  with  an  ai)erture  of  about  / i6,  or,  in  some  cases, 
/ 1 1,  but  we  suggest  that  the  maximum  ajierture  should 
be  increased  to  f 8.  It  will  be  impossible  to  obtain 
what  the  optician  would  call  ‘‘  sharj)  definition  ” with 
this  aperture,  because  of  the  defect  known  as  s])herical 
aberration.  This,  however,  will  be  in  many  cases  a 
])ositive  advantage  because  it  will  enable  us  to  obtain 
that  softness  of  outline  which  is  often  very  conducive 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


I 


to  i)ictorial  effect.  Of  the  use  of  the  lens,  and  the  influ- 
ence of  definition  on  the  picture,  I shall  speak  in 
another  chapter. 

Time  need  not  he  occupied  in  discussing'  the 
remainder  of  the  apjiaratus.  The  camera  must  be 
rigid  even  when  fully  extended,  and,  as  long-focus 
lenses  will  be  used,  it  must  be  capable  of  consid- 
erable extension.  There  is  no  necessity  for  a great 
numher  of  adjustments;  a simple  sliding  motion  is,  I 
think,  quite  as  convenient  for  focusing  as  a rack  and 
])inion  or  winch  screw.  The  front  should  have  a con- 
sideralffe  range  of  rise  and  fall,  and  a reversing  back 
and  double  swing-back  are  almost  essential,  the  latter 
not  for  the  correction  of  faulty  lines,  for  we  are  not 
considering  architectural  work,  but  to  assist  the  lens  in 


Fig.  2. 


bringing  the  foreground  into  good  focus  without  the 
necessity  of  stopping  it  down.  Such  a camera  as  I use 
in  my  own  practice  I have  sketched  in  Fig.  2,  and  those 
who  may  be  afiout  to  set  themselves  u])  with  a complete 
outfit  can  not  do  better  than  have  one  constructed  on 
these  lines. 

The  shutter  is  a most  important  item  — I rarely 


12 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


use  a lens  cap  for  making  an  exposure,  preferring  to 
use  a shutter  of  the  type  sketched  in  Fig.  3.  I do  not 
know  whether  it  is  ol)tainahle  in  America.  Here  in 
England  it  is  sold  under  the  maker’s  name  as  Idace’s 


ib" 

Ascending  Shutter  ‘ 

i i Descending Shiitter 

li/ZAj 

/ 

m: 

A 4 

Fig.  3. 

shutter.  A cord  on  being  pulled  draws  up  an  ebonite 
shutter,  and  by  continuing  the  motion  a second  shutter 
comes  down  and  completes  the  exposure.  With  it  any 
duration  of  exposure  can  he  given  up  to  about  the  i-io 
of  a second,  beyond  which  s])ced  the  jiictorial  worker 
will  seldom  have  occasion  to  go.  Its  great  advantage 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY.  13 

lies  in  the  fact  that  a .c^radiiated  exposure  can  be  given, 
and  the  foreground  getting  more  exposure  than  the 
sky,  both  clouds  and  landscape  can  often,  when  the 
conditions  appear  to  be  suitable,  be  secured  upon  the 
same  plate.  I shall  have  more  to  say  later  upon  this 
point  when  I come  to  deal  with  the  important  question 
of  clouds  and  skies,  it  being  with  many  a debatable 
question  whether  the  sky  should  be  on  the  same  plate 
as  the  landscape,  or  printed  in  from  a separate  negative. 

The  question  of  size  is  one  upon  which  many  read- 
ers will  look  for  a word  of  advice.  It  is,  however,  very 
largely  a matter  which  each  individual  worker  must 
decide  for  himself.  Size  has  nothing  to  do  with  picto- 
rial merit,  but  at  the  same  time  it  must  be  remembered 
that  when  we  meet  with  a small  work  of  great  excel- 
lence we  feel  a kind  of  instinctive  regret  that  it  was  not 
of  more  imposing  dimensions.  There  can  be  no  doubt, 
other  things  being  equal,  that  size  adds  to  the  impor- 
tance of  any  photograph,  and  our  advice  would  be  that 
as  large  a plate  as  personal  convenience  and  the  depth 
of  one’s  pocket  will  allow  should  be  worked. 

The  alternative  method  of  producing  a large  photo- 
graph, namely,  by  enlarging  the  small  original,  natu- 
rally arises  and  claims  consideration.  In  regard  to  the 
ultimate  quality  of  the  work,  the  results  are  quite  equal, 
both  technically  and  pictorially,  to  those  produced  from 
large  negatives  taken  direct ; though  perhaps  a higher 
degree  of  technical  skill  is  demanded,  the  trouble 
involved  may  be  greater. 

On  the  other  hand,  those  who  adopt  this  method  of 
working  have  larger  opportunities  than  the  users  of 
large  cameras,  for  a small,  light  camera  may  be  made 
one’s  constant  companion  on  rambles  in  either  town  or 


14 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


country,  and  its  possessor,  therefore,  is  always  pre- 
pared should  a subject  suddenly  present  itself. 

The  only  danger  to  which  the  user  of  a small  cam- 
era is  exposed  is  the  temptation  to  make  too  many 
exposures,  upon  subjects  which  may  not  he  worthy  of 
his  attention.  The  small  size  and  trifling  cost  of  the 
])lates  also  tend  to  make  one  less  careful  than  would  he 
the  case  in  dealing  with  plates  of  large  dimensions. 
The  same  degree  of  skill  and  the  same  degree  of  care 
must  be  bestowed  on  the  humble  quarter  plate,  or  4 by 
5,  as  would  he  devoted  to  the  lordly  10  by  12  or  12 

'>y  15- 

Now  that  this  chapter  is  written,  I find  I have  dealt 
at  greater  length  with  these  preliminary  matters  than  I 
at  first  intended,  but  recollecting  that  the  beginner,  as 
well  as  the  more  advanced  worker,  will  read  these 
articles,  I am  hopeful  that  neither  space  will  have  been 
wasted  nor  time  thrown  away. 


CHAPTER  II. 


PICTORIAL  METHODS. 

After  due  consideration  I have  come  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  the  simplest  and  most  useful  way  of  treating 
this  subject  of  ‘‘  Pictorial  Photography  will  be  first  to 
fully  describe  the  practical  details  of  working,  so  that, 
after  having  had  the  methods  of  the  pictorial  worker 
clearly  presented  to  him,  the  reader  will  the  more  read- 
ily he  able  to  apply  the  principles  which  will  hereafter 
be  laid  down. 

In  the  first  place,  if  certain  preconceived  notions 
with  regard  to  the  technical  quality  of  negatives  exist 
they  must  be  laid  aside,  for  it  may  be  often  necessary, 
in  order  to  obtain  a particular  effect,  to  purposely  pro- 
duce a negative  lacking  those  very  attributes  which  the 
technician  would  deem  essential.  The  pictorial  photog- 
rapher, in  short,  does  not  seek  to  produce  negatives  of 
any  particular  type ; his  aim  will  always  be  to  keep 
his  ideal  — the  idea  or  sentiment  which  he  intends  to 
convey  by  means  of  his  finished  photograph  — clearly 
in  mind,  and  all  through  the  various  stages  of  its  pro- 
duction he  will  work  to  this  end.  If  the  subject  be  a 
strong  one,  full  of  vigorous  contrast  of  light  and  shade, 
his  aim  will  he  to  get  a plucky,  sharply  graded  nega- 
tive. If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  beauty  of  his  subject 
depends  u])on  its  subtle  and  delicate  half-tones,  he  will 
endeavor  to  produce  a thin,  flat  type  of  negative  which 
will  most  readily  yield  those  qualities  in  the  print.  In 


15 


1 6 PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 

truth,  the  successful  pictorial  photographer  must  really 
be  a highly  skilled  technician,  but  at  the  same  time  one 
who  will  refuse  to  l)e  bound  down  by  the  narrow  con- 
ventions of  technic. 

In  general,  it  will  be  found  that  a softer  type  of 
negative  than  is  commonly  regarded  as  the  perfection 
of  excellence  will  be  required  for  artistic  expression,  it 
being  far  easier  in  practice  to  lighten  tones  or  values 
which  print  too  heavily  than  it  is  to  perform  the  con- 
verse operation  with  the  lights  of  an  over-dense  nega- 
tive. 

The  advantage  of  using  isochromatic  plates  can  not 
be  overestimated.  The  little  extra  care  required  in 
their  manipulation  is  amply  recompensed  by  the  far 
more  truthful  results  which  are  obtained  with  them. 
Delicate  gradations  of  light  and  shade  and  subtle 
efifects  of  atmosphere  can  be  secured  by  their  aid,  which 
ordinary  ])lates  would  utterly  fail  in  rendering.  Par- 
ticularly is  this  the  case  when  photographing  clouds, 
the  difficulty  of  securing  which,  with  even  an  approxi- 
mation to  truthful  efifect  when  using  ordinary  plates, 
is  sometimes  almost  insuperable.  Their  great  advan- 
tages are  also  equally  manifest  when  dealing  with  sub- 
jects in  which  water  plays  a prominent  part;  indeed,  it 
is  hardly  ])ossible  to  do  full  justice  to  the  delicate  gra- 
dations of  light  and  shade  or  the  tender  reflections  on 
its  lim])id,  luminous  surface,  with  any  other  kind  of 
plate.  This  advice  is  not  ])rompted  hy  merely  ])ersonal 
preferences,  but  is  further  justified  by  the  fact  that 
nearly  every  photogra])her  in  this  country  who  has 
attained  to  any  eminence  as  an  exponent  of  pictorial 
work  is  a user  of  isochromatic  or  color-sensitive  plates. 

The  question  of  “ focus  ” naturally  calls  for  early 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


7 


consideration.  It  is  one  that  has  possibly  caused  more 
discussion  and  greater  divergence  of  opinion  than 
any  other  connected  with  photography.  No  rule 
as  to  when  a photograph  should  he  sharj),  or 
when  it  should  he  out  of  focus  or  fuzzy,  or  as  to  the 
degree  of  its  sharpness  or  fuzziness,  can  he  formulated. 
In  every  case  it  is  a matter  in  which  the  nature  of  the 
subject,  -or  the  desired  rendering  of  it,  must  be  the 
guide.  The  mere  fact  that  a photograph  is  made 
unsharp  does  not  in  itself  confer  upon  it  any  artistic 
quality ; nor  is  unsharpness  by  any  means  essential  to 
pictorial  effect  in  photography.  A photograjdi  may  be 
eminently  ])ictorial  and  yet  have  every  detail  clearly 
defined,  and  in  support  of  this  statement  we  may  refer 
to  the  beautiful  work  of  Colonel  Gale,  Robert  Dem- 
achy,  J.  P).  B.  Wellington,  and  many  others. 

At  the  same  time,  it  must  be  remembered  that  the 
tendency  of  the  lens  is  always  to  give  far  more  detail 
than  will  in  many  cases  be  desiralde,  and  in  order  to 
avoid  this  defect  certain  measures  for  the  suppression 
or  toning  down  of  the  excess  of  definition  have  to  be 
adopted. 

Although  no  rule  can  he  laid  down  as  to  how 
sharply  defined  any  particular  photograph  should  be, 
yet  it  may  be  accepted  as  an  axiom  that  if  the  first 
impression  created  by  it  is  that  it  is  either  sharp  or  the 
reverse,  that  we  have  at  any  rate  in  a great  measure 
failed  in  our  object.  If  the  motive  of  the  picture,  the 
sentiment  or  idea  intended  to  be  conveyed  to  the  mind 
of  the  observer,  is  realized,  we  shall  not  notice  whether 
the  details  of  the  composition  are  either  sharply  defined 
or  out  of  focus. 

One  of  the  readiest  and  most  convenient  ways  of 


8 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


securing  what  may  be  called  a “ pictorial  focus  ” is  by 
the  use  of  a single  lens,  the  aperture  of  which  has  been 
enlarged  until  the  necessary  amount  of  diffusion  of 
focus  is  obtained.  This  result  is  arrived  at  by  introduc- 
ing the  defect  called  by  opticians  “ spherical  aberra- 
tion,” and  the  presence  of  which  is  recognized  by  the 
fact  that  it  will  be  impossible  to  focus  critically  sharp 
any  portion  of  the  image.  A single  lens  used  in  this 
way  is  capable  of  producing  the  most  artistic  results, 
yet  without  any  tendency  to  that  excessive  and  in  most 
cases  offensive  blurring  which  is  often  the  result  of 
em])loying  other  methods. 

In  order  to  practically  illustrate  what  I have  been 
saying  upon  this  topic,  I will  refer  my  readers  to  the 
two  photographs  which  illustrate  this  article,  and  the 
difference  in  the  two  renderings  can  not,  I think,  fail 
to  strike  even  the  most  superficial  observer. 

It  is,  of  course  — owing  to  the  nature  of  a process- 
block  illustration,  which  in  itself  tends  to  remove  the 
biting  definition  of  the  original  — extremely  difficult  to 
show  the  striking  contrast  between  the  two  original 
prints,  but  pictorially  the  difference  is  sufficiently  obvi- 
ous to  make  my  point  clear. 

The  illustrations  are  j)rinted  from  the  same  nega- 
tive, the  difference  in  the  two  renderings  being  solely 
due  to  the  fact  that  in  one  case  the  print  was  made 
direct  from  the  negative  as  produced  by  the  lens ; and 
in  the  other,  steps  were  taken  to  suppress  or  modify  its 
excessive  wiry  definition.  In  Fig.  4,  which  in  the 
block  illustration  looks  less  offensive  than  the  original 
print,  we  have  what  appears  to  be  an  ordinary  and 
somewhat  commonplace  photograph  of  a not  particu- 
larly interesting  subject.  The  first  fact  that  impresses 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


19 


one  is  the  uniform  sharpness  of  the  whole  picture. 
Every  ripple  on  the  water  is  clearly  defined,  producing 
that  disagreeable  effect  of  arrested  motion  which  so 
often  mars  the  pictorial  effect  of  photographs  of  ol)jects 
in  motion.  The  masts  and  rigging  of  the  shipping 
stand  out  with  biting  sharpness  against  the  sky  so 
clearly  that  we  may  easily,  if  we  will,  count  each  rope 
or  stay.  Indeed,  we  almost  imagine  that  we  can  hear 
the  remark,  ‘‘  how  wonderfully  clear  the  rigging  is.” 
But  the  object  in  this  instance  was  not  to  produce  a 
topographically  correct  record  of  a group  of  fishing 
boats  at  the  cjuayside,  hut  something  of  a more  truly 
pictorial  character. 

Clearly  then,  judging  from  l^dg.  4,  that  object  was 
not  to  he  attained  by  the  unaided,  or  rather,  uncon- 
trolled, action  of  the  lens  and  light  upon  a sensitive 
])late,  or  by  what  are  called  “ purely  photographic  ” 
methods. 

The  ({uestion  then  arises,  can  the  hare  photographic 
record  thus  produced  be  so  improved  or  controlled  as  to 
produce  a result  which  may  be  said  to  have  some  pre- 
tensions to  artistic  expression? 

Let  us  look  at  and  study  Fig.  5 before  we  attempt  to 
answer  this  question.  It  was  ])rinted  from  the  same 
negative,  but  with  a piece  of  thin  celluloid  interposed 
between  its  surface  and  that  of  the  printing  paper. 
The  result  is  a general  softening  of  the  definition  and 
a suppression  of  the  wiry  definition  found  in  the  first 
print,  and  we  no  longer  feel  tempted  to  count  the  ropes 
and  spars  or  the  rip])les  on.  the  water.  They  are  there, 
but  the  fact  is  not  aggressively  apparent ; we  are 
unconscious  of  the  fact  that  they  are  either  sharp  or  the 
reverse.  The  photograph  pleases  us  because  of  its  pic- 


20  PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 

torial  quality,  which  is  mainly  the  result  of  the  simple 
treatment  to  which  it  has  been  subjected  in  printing. 
Its  pictorial  effect  has  been  further  improved  in  the 


Fig.  4. 


second  illustration  by  a suppression  of  the  scattered 
lighting  which  constituted  another  serious  defect  in  the 
original  print,  a point  to  which  T shall  refer  at  a later 
stage. 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPF.  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


2 


Although  the  method  of  controlling  definition 
adopted  in  this  case  was  a])])lied  during  printing  and  in 
some  cases  a valuable  one  where  a negative  is  recpiired 


Fig.  5. 

to  serve  more  than  one  purjiose,  yet  the  plan  which  I 
consider  to  be  the  best  is  to  suppress  the  excess  of  defi- 
nition l)v  careful  focusing  ]>rior  to  exposure.  lly 


22 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


“ careful  focusing  ” I mean  just  throwing  the  image 
sufficiently  out  of  focus  to  ])ro(luce  the  effect  desired. 
This  object  can  l)e  attained  most  satisfactorily  hy 
examining  the  image  on  the  ground-glass  screen,  and 
in  this  way  just  the  required  amount  of  diffusion  can 
he  secured. 


CHAPTER  III. 


ON  PERSPI-XTIVE  AND  ANGLE  OF  VIEW. 

It  is  essential  that  the  photographic  art-student 
should  possess  a knowledge  of  the  principles  of  both 
linear  and  aerial  perspective,  for  although  it  inaynot  I)e 
necessary  for  him  to  undergo  a course  of  study  in  ])er- 
spective  drawing,  his  lens  acting  as  draftsman,  yet  that 
useful  tool  will  probably  forthwith  lead  him  into  error 
should  he  remain  in  ignorance  of  the  rudimentary  laws 
of  the  sul)ject.  The  necessary  information  can  be 
obtained  from  any  standard  text-hook  ; it  is  beyond  our 
])rovince  to  go  into  the  matter  in  detail.  Briefly,  per- 
spective may  he  said  to  he  the  science  which  governs 
the  faithful  representation  of  solid  objects  upon  a plane 
or  flat  surface.  In  all  drawings  in  correct  perspective 
there  is  an  imaginary  horizontal  line,  the  position  of 
which  is  always  at  the  height  of  the  observer’s  eye,  and 
on  this  line  there  is  a point  to  which  the  eye  is  directed 
called  the  “ i)oint  of  sight,”  or  “ the  vanishing  ])oint.” 
The  apparent  size  of  an  object  is  regulated  by  its  dis- 
tance from  the  eye.  If  it  be  near  to  the  observer,  it 
appears  large;  if  remote  it  appears  small.  We  can 
practically  illustrate  what  has  been  stated  by  a very 
simple  diagram  (Fig.  6).  The  subject  is  an  avenue  of 
trees.  A A is  the  horizontal  line,  B the  point  of  sight. 
The  position  of  the  horizontal  line  will  have  an  all- 
important  effect  upon  the  picture ; and  although  it  may 
he  placed  either  high  or  low,  due  regard  in  assigning 


23 


24 


PICTORIAL  LAXDSCAPK  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


its  position  must  always  he  had  to  the  nature  of  the 
subject. 

Fortunately  for  the  ])hotographer,  the  perspective 
of  the  lens,  whatever  its  form  of  construction,  when 
used  under  proper  conditions,  is  always  mathematically 


Fig.  6. 


correct.  We  arc  often  told  that  this  is  not  so,  and  cer- 
tain ])hotographs  are  referred  to  as  illustrations  of  the 
exaggerated  or  untrue  perspective  produced  by  ])ho- 
tography.  Such  ])hotographs,  although  they  may 
ap])car  to  be  glaringly  untrue,  are  in  the  majority  of 
cases  not  really  so,  as  we  shall  ])rcsently  ])rove,  and 
are  generally  the  result  of  a misuse  of  the  lens,  owing 
to  the  operator’s  ignorance  of  the  laws  of  ])ers])ective. 

ddie  ])hotogra])h  of  the  man  reclining  in  an  arm- 
chair (Fig.  7)  viewed  in  the  ordinary  way,  strikes  us 
as  being  grotesque  in  its  violent  foreshortening.  The 
a])parent  dis])ro])ortion  between  the  size  of  the  feet  and 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


25 


the  more  remote  ]:»arts  of  the  body  is  the  result  of  using- 
a lens  of  very  short  focus,  which  has  rendered  it  neces- 
sary to  i)lacc  the  camera  too  near  to  the  subject.  In 
this  particular  case  the  lens  was  but  three  feet  from 
the  sitter’s  shoes,  and  to  prove  that  the  exaggerated 
effect  was  only  due  to  a misuse  of  the  lens,  and  not  to 
any  inherent  distortive  tendency,  we  have  hut  to  close 


Fig.  7. 

one  eye  and  look  at  the  subject  from  the  same  point  at 
which  the  lens  was  jilaced,  and  though  it  may  surprise 
us,  we  shall  see  precisely  the  same  effect  as  that  a])])ear-- 
ing  in  the  photogra])h,  the  shoes  appearing  of  Rroli- 


26 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


dingnagian  proportions  and  apparently  eclipsing  every- 
thing else,  thus  proving  that  the  exaggeration  was  not 
due  to  any  defect  of  the  lens,  but  merely  to  our  misuse 
of  it.  Had  a lens  of  at  least  twice  the  focal  length  been 
employed,  we  should  have  had  to  place  the  camera  at  a 
greater  distance  from  the  sitter,  and  the  immediate 
result  would  have  l)een  the  i)roduction  of  a natural  and 
normal  effect. 

It  is  not  going  too  far  to  say  that  the  great  majority 
of  otherwise  artistic  and  pictorial  ])hotographs  suffer 
from  the  inclusion  of  too  much  subject-matter,  the 
direct  result  of  using  lenses  of  too  short  a focal  length. 
I'or  this  reason  we  have  already  advised  the  employ- 
ment of  lenses  of  long  focus,  i.  e.,  of  moderate  angle. 
No  rule  as  to  the  exact  amount  of  angle  to  be  included 
can  be  laid  down.  It  must  of  necessity  vary  with  the 
nature  of  the  subject,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is 
desired  to  treat  it ; l)ut  the  inclusion  of  any  element  in 
the  composition  which  tends  to  lead  away  from  the 
principal  object,  or  motive,  of  the  picture,  can  but  have 
a weakening  effect. 

Perhaps  this  fact  is  more  strikingly  demonstrated 
when  attempting  to  portray  mountain  scenery  with  the 
camera  than  in  any  other  class  of  subjects.  Imder 
ordinary  conditions,  i.  e.,  using  a lens  with  a focus  of 
about  one  and  a half  times  the  length  of  the  plate,  the 
distant  peaks  which  to  the  eye  a])pear  almost  to  pierce 
the  very  heavens,  are  represented  upon  the  focusing 
screen  as  mere  undulating  foot-hills,  while  ol)jects  in 
the  near  foreground  ap])ear  unduly  large  and  out  of 
pro])ortion.  The  reason  for  this  is  that  the  lens  includes 
a far  wider  angle  than  the  human  eye  can,  from  a fixed 
l)oint  of  view,  possibly  comprehend ; and  therefore  the 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


27 


pliotograph  appears  to  be  untrue,  although,  as  we  have 
already  shown,  it  is  not  really  so. 

A lens  of  longer  focus,  and  (used  upon  the  same 
plate)  therefore  narrower  angle,  will,  l)y  including  less 
subject-matter,  or,  put  in  another  way,  by  excluding 
the  unnecessary  subject-matter,  give  greater  promi- 
nence to  the  principal  object  and  at  once  strengthen  the 
])icture  by  representing  the  subject  in  the  manner  in 
which  it  ordinarily  appears  to  the  human  eye. 

To  illustrate  this  point  and  to  make  my  meaning 
clear,  1 have  made  three  consecutive  exposures  upon 
the  same  sul^ject,  without  moving  the  camera,  but  using 
respectively  lenses  of  5,  8 and  ii  inches  focus  (Figs.  8, 
9 and  10).  These  show,  in  a sufficiently  striking  man- 
ner, the  practical  effect  of  the  use  of  lenses  giring  wide, 
medium  and  narrow  angles,  respectively. 

Fig.  8 was  taken  with  the  5-inch  lens,  which, 
although  l)y  no  means  giving  what  would  be  called  a 
wide  angle  when  used  on  a 3)4  4/4  plate,  yet 

includes  far  too  much  of  the  subject  to  produce  a really 
pictorial  result,  or,  at  any  rate,  to  allow  of  the  best 
l)eing  made  of  the  sul)ject-matter  dealt  with.  By  the 
inclusion  of  so  much  unnecessary  detail,  the  fore- 
ground, which  should  be  the  strongest  part  of  the  pic- 
ture, is  weakened,  and  the  group  of  boats  forming  the 
])riiicipal  ol)ject  lose  the  importance  which  their  rela- 
tion to  the  rest  of  the  composition  demands.  Notice, 
also,  the  uniform  and  almost  biting  sharpness  of  all  the 
planes,  which  has  the  effect  of  destroying  aerial  per- 
spective, the  presence  of  which  in  all  landscape  work  is 
so  essential  to  success.  This  defect  (as  it  must  be 
regarded  from  a pictorial  point  of  view,  though  the 
optician  would  regard  it  as  an  advantage)  is  due  to  the 


28 


I’JCTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


property  possessed  by  all  short-focus  lenses  called 
de])th  of  definition,  which  (piality  alone  is  one  that 
makes  it  a less  useful  tool  to  the  artistic  photographer 


Fig.  8. 

than  one  of  longer  focus  would  he.  Finally,  the  inclu- 
sion of  the  tree  on  the  extreme  right,  with  its  hare 
branches  jirotruding,  is  not  helpful  to  the  composition, 
and  would  have  been  better  omitted. 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


29 


In  Fig-.  9,  which  was  taken  with  an  8-inch  lens,  we 
note  a marked  improvement.  There  is  a much  smaller 
expanse  of  uninteresting  foreground,  and  we  have 


Fig.  9. 

nearly  succeeded  in  getting,  rid  of  the  tree,  though  a 
few  branches,  apparently  without  support,  still  obtrude 
themselves  into  the  view.  The  perspective  effect  is 
better,  the  various  planes  of  the  picture,  foreground. 


30  PICTORIAL  LANIXSCAPL  PHOTOGRAPHY. 

middle  distance  and  distance,  appear  in  due  relation  to 
each  other. 

P)Ut  in  Fi^.  lo,  taken  with  the  ii-inch  lens,  we  have 
what  we  venture  to  think  will  on  all  hands  be  admitted 


Fig.  io. 

to  he  a far  more  pictorial  renderin<2^  than  cither  of  its 
companions.  Here  foreground,  middle  distance  and 
distance  ap])ear  in  due  subordination  to  each  other ; by 


nCTORIAI.  LANDSCATE  PIIOTOGRAPII V. 


31 


the  narrowness  of  tlie  angle,  only  just  the  amount  of 
subject  is  included  required  for  the  best  and  most  pic- 
torial rendering  of  it,  and  by  the  means  indicated  we 
have  succeeded  in  producing  something  different  to  an 
ordinary  topographical  photograph. 

These  three  photographs  afford  a good  illustration 
of  the  praetical  neeessity  of  working  with  lenses  of  dif- 
ferent foeiis.  In  this  particular  instance,  had  I pos- 
sessed only  one  lens,  and  that  the  5-inch,  I should  have 
been  compelled  either  to  have  put  uj)  with  what  I felt 
to  he  an  unsatisfactory  rendering  of  my  subject,  or  have 
given  u])  the  attempt  to  secure  it.  My  earnest  advice  to 
all  who  may  find  themselves  in  a similar  dilemma  would 
be  to  follow  the  last-named  course,  for  it  is  always  bet- 
ter to  refrain  from  making  an  exposure  if  one  feels  that 
one’s  lens  does  not  do  justice  to  the  subject. 

I do  not,  however,  wish  it  to  he  imagined  that  long- 
focus  lenses  are  to  be  regarded  as  a panacea  for  all  the 
artistic  drawbacks  and  shortcomings,  of  photogra])hy, 
or  that  their  indiscriminate  employment  will  necessarily 
infuse  a pictorial  quality  into  the  photographs. 
Although  improvement  will  probably  result  from  their 
use  in  the  majority  of  cases,  the  exercise  of  careful  and 
well  considered  judgment  will  always  be  essential  to 
success,  and  in  forming  that  judgment  the  reader  must 
he  guided  both  by  the  nature  of  the  subject  and  the  par- 
ticular rendering  of  it  which  he  aims  at  producing. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  SKY,  AND  HOW  TO  PHOTOGRAPH  IT. 

Probably  no  photographer  who  values  his  reputa- 
tion for  technical  skill  would  nowadays  permit  a ]>rint 
to  leave  his  hands  with  a blank  white  space  in  lieu  of 
sky,  although  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  such  pho- 
tographs were  common  enough.  Hut  something  more 
than  mere  technical  skill  in  ])rinting  skies  into  a land- 
scape in  such  a manner  as  not  to  betray  the  artifice  of 
the  ])hotogra])her  is  demanded  of  those  who  desire  to 
create  pictures  by  means  of  ])hotography. 

The  im])ortance  of  the  sky  as  an  element  in  the  ])i*o- 
duction  of  a ])ictorial  photograph  it  would  he  difficult  to 
exaggerate  ; indeed,  it  often  sup])lies  the  motive  or  sen- 
timent intended  to  he  ex])ressed  by  the  ])icture.  Many 
an  otherwise  uninteresting  — nay,  almost  common])lace 
— subject  may  he  transformed  into  a thing  of  beauty 
by  the  introduction  of  a suitable  sky.  We  would  lay 
the  greatest  em])hasis  on  the  adjective,  for  unless  great 
care  and  thought  he  bestowed  U])on  the  selection  of  the 
sky  negative,  both  in  the  matter  of  the  forni  and  of  the 
lighting  of  the  clouds,  the  most  dis]deasing  and  incon- 
gruous results  may  he  ])roduced.  We  must  he  careful 
to  see  that  tlie  lighting  of  the  clouds  is  from  the  same 
direction  as  that  from  which  the  landscaj^e  itself  is 
lighted.  For  this  reason  it  is  a good  ])lan  to  use  films 
for  taking  skies  rather  than  glass  plates,  because  they 
afford  the  op])ortunity  of  printing  from  either  side.  In 


32 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


33 


the  matter  of  the  form  and  shape  of  the  cloiuls,  we  must 
observe  that  these  are  in  harmony  with  the  general 
scheme  of  composition  of  the  landscape,  to  which  they 
are  wedded,  and  that  due  balance  of  parts  is  secured. 

The  student  must  be  earnestly  warned  against  the 
use  of  strongly  lighted  and  generally  underexposed  and 
overdeveloped  negatives  of  heavy  cumulus  cloud  taken 
against  the  light  — the  ordinary  ‘'cloud  negative”  of 
the  photo-store  dealer;  in  fact,  skies  such  as  these  will 
very  rarely  serve  a useful  pictorial  purpose,  though  it 
may  be  well  to  include  a few  iu  a complete  and  repre- 
sentative collection  of  cloud  negatives.  Such  a collec- 
tion can  not  be  too  numerous  or  too  varied,  for  however 
extensive  it  may  be,  the  necessity  will  constantly  arise 
of  taking  a special  cloud  study  to  produce  a particular 
efifect. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  presence  of  sun- 
shine is  necessary  to  enable  good  cloud  studies  to  be 
secured.  On  the  contrary,  it  will  be  found  that,  if  truth 
is  studied,  a soft,  gray,  quiet  effect,  which  can  only  be 
properly  obtained  in  the  absence  of  sunshine,  will  be  as' 
often  required  as  a strongly  lighted  and  vigorous  effect. 

There  are  two  points  that  must  not  be  lost  sight  of 
in  connection  with  the  photographing  of  skies  for 
purely  pictorial  purposes ; the  first  is  to  avoid  spotty  or 
scattered  lighting,  a condition  of  things  often  observ- 
able in  nature,  but  which,  if  perpetuated  in  the  photo- 
graph, can  not  but  detract  from  its  pictorial  value. 
Second,  care  must  be  taken  to  avoid  an  undue  amount 
of  sharpness  in  the  cloud  forms  themselves.  This  can 
be  secured  by  judicious  focusing  and  by  not  yielding  to 
the  temptation  to  stop  the  lens  down.  In  general,  con- 
centration of  light  and  shadow  — a harmonious  group- 
3 


34 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


ing  of  brpad  masses  — are  the  qualities  to  he  sought, 
with  at  the  same  time  an  avoidance  of  anything 
approaching  to  a critically  defined  outline,  which  lat- 
ter, if  present,  will  mar  the  due  rendering  of  atmos- 
pheric effect,  which  quality,  above  all  others,  it  must  he 
bur  aim  to  secure. 

It  is  a much-debated  point  whether  it  is  better  to 
secure  the  sky  ujion  the  same  ])late  as  the  negative  or  to 
print  it  in  from  a sky  negative.  Good  results  may 
he  attained  by  either  method  of  working.  The  first 
named,  however,  presents  the  greatest  difficulties,  both 
from  the  pictorial  and  technical  ])oints  of  view.  It  docs 
not,  of  course,  follow  that  the  cloud  forms  visible  at  the 
moment  when  the  landscape  is  to  be  ])hotographed  will 
be  so  disposed  or  arranged  as  to  combine  most  effec- 
tively with  the  landscape  to  form  a harmonious  whole, 
and  it  is,  moreover,  always  difficult  to  give  the  fore- 
ground sufficient  exposure  without  overexposing  the 
sky.  On  the  other  hand,  we  are  less  likely  to  fall  into 
the  errors  of  lighting  or  of  producing  the  theatrical  and 
often  false  effects  of  light  and  shade,  which  faults  are 
frequently  so  unpleasantly  conspicuous  even  in  the 
work  of  our  leading  pictorial  photographers.  The  tech- 
nical difficulty  of  securing  uniformity  of  exposure  in 
sky  and  landscape  may  be  minimized  by  using  a shutter 
of  the  tv])e  we  referred  to  in  Cha])tcr  I,  or  even  an  ordi- 
nary lla])  shutter.  The  shutter  in  question  is  so  sim])le 
in  construction  as  perha])s  to  arouse  the  contcm])t  of  my 
American  readers,  whose  ])redilections  for  “ natty  appa- 
ratus ” are  well  known.  Ihit,  ajiart  from  its  somewhat 
clumsy  appearance,  the  instrument  is  of  undoubted  util- 
ity, and  has  certainly  enabled  us  to  secure  eftbets  which 
by  no  other  means  could  have  been  obtained.  We  use  it 


PICTORTAI.  r.ANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


35 


in  this  way:  After  focusing  wc  carefully  note  how  far 
it  is  necessary  to  pull  down  the  shutter  so  as  just  to  shut 
ofif  the  light  from  the  horizon  upward.  Then,  when 
making  the  exposure,  we  pull  the  shutter  slowly  until  it 
reaches  this  point,  and  then  increase  the  speed  until  the 
descending  shutter  reaches  the  same  point,  when,  if 
necessary,  we  slightly  pause  before  pulling  the  shutter 
right  down.  With  a little  practice  the  shutter  may  be 
so  manipulated  as  to  give  an  exposure  of  several  sec- 
onds to  the  landscape  and  a mere  fraction  of  a second 
to  the  sky.  With  regard  to  the  pictorial  value  of  this 
method  of  working,  we  would  say  that  when  it  should 
be  employed  and  when  not  is  a matter  that  must  be  left 
to  the  discretion  of  the  individual  worker,  who  should 
he  guided  by  his  own  artistic  judgment  in  determining 
whether  the  particular  conformation  of  clouds  existing 
at  the  moment  of  exposure  is  such  as  to  be  in  thorough 
harmony  with  the  desired  inter])retation  of  the  subject. 

Turning  to  essentially  practical  considerations,  the 
choice  of  a i)late  first  claims  consideration.  For  sky 
photography,  if  results  approximating  to  a truthful  ren- 
dering are  desired,  it  is  absolutely  essential  to  employ 
isoehromatic  or  eolor-eorreeted  plates,  either  with  or 
without  a screen.  With  these  aids  it  will  be  possible  to 
secure  printable  negatives  of  the  most  delicate  sky 
effects,  to  attempt  which  with  ordinary  plates  would 
only  result  in  failure.  Whether  it  will  be  necessary  or 
desirable  to  use  a screen  will  depend  u])on  the  character 
of  the  sky  or  cloud  effect  which  it  is  desired  to  photo- 
graph. Wherever  there  is  much  l)lue  i)resent  then  it  is 
imperative  to  use  a yellow  screen  to  reduce  its  light 
action  upon  the  plate.  Without  this  precaution,  in  the 
case  of  photographing  white  clouds  floating  upon  a 


36 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPK  P IIOTOCRAPII Y. 


blue  sky,  we  get  the  latter  printing  almost  to  the  same 
tone  as  the  former,  and  the  result  is  necessarily  flat  and 
nntrnthfnl.  On  the  other  hand,  when  photographing 
late  in  the  evening,  or  toward  sunset,  when  the  heavens 
are  Inminons  with  the  red  and  golden  rays  of  the  set- 
ting Sim,  the  employment  of  a screen  would  tend  to 
exaggerate  tone  value  in  the  contrary  direction,  the 
very  yellowness  of  the  light  itself  acting  as  a light-filter. 
In  such  cases  judgment  and  experience  must  be  onr 
guide. 

We  have  already  advised  the  use  of  backed  jilates  in 
all  ])ictorial  work,  but  certainly  when  photographing 
sky  and  cloud  effects  their  employment  is  essential  to 
success.  Not  only  are  they  a great  protection  against 
the  evils  of  halation  which  are  often  so  conspicuous  in 
cloud  photography,  especially  in  photographing  against 
the  light,  when  it  frecpiently  happens  that  a portion  of 
brilliantly  illuminated  sky  is  brought  in  juxtaposition 
with  a cloud  in  heavy  shadow,  but  they  are  equally  use- 
ful in  securing  detail  and  faithfully  rendering  the  faint 
and  delicate  tracery  of  the  cirrus  or  “ mare’s-tail,” 
which  it  would  be  almost  useless  to  attempt  to  secure 
upon  an  ordinary  plate. 

Sky  negatives,  as  a rule,  unless  for  some  si)ecial 
purpose  a very  strongly  marked  effect  is  desired,  should 
incline  to  thinness  rather  than  density.  The  heaviest 
cloud  eff'ect  in  nature  is  always  lighter  in  tone  than  the 
landscape  to  which  it  forms  a canopy,  and  this  fact 
must  be  remembered  when  develo])ing  the  negatives  no 
less  than  when  printing  from  them.  The  greatest  care 
should  be  taken  to  -give  a correct  exposure,  because 
although  we  may  succeed  in  ])roducing  a'  printable 
negative,  any  deviation  from  accuracy  either  in  the 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPK  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


37 


direction  of  under  or  over  timing  can  not  but  detract 
from  an  accurate  rendering  of  the  aerial  perspective  of 
the  clouds,  which  it  must  he  our  primary  object  to 
secure.  Xo  great  departure  from  the  system  of  devel- 
opment employed  for  ordinary  work  is  needed,  nor  is  it 
necessary  to  recommend  any  special  developer  ; the  only 
point  to  he  guarded  against  is  the  use  of  too  strong  a 
solution.  In  general,  the  best  result  will  he  obtained 
by  taking  a normal  developer  diluted  with  an  equal 
bulk  of  water.  We  ourselves  believe  that  pyro,  by  rea- 
son of  the  control  which  can  be  exercised  with  it,  will 
be  found  most  suitable.  Care  must  be  taken  not  to  carry 
development  too  far,  or  the  tonality  of  the  negative  will 
sufifer.  Err  'rather  on  the  side  of  thinness  than  excess 
of  density.  During  develo])inent  carefully  watch  the 
principal  light,  and  avoid  getting  it  too  dense  to  show 
detail  in  printing.  When  printing,  if  the  gradation  is 
good  the  secondary  lights  should  have  perceptibly  dis- 
colored when  the  detail  of  the  highest  light  begins  to 
print.  If,  however,  when  the  shadows  are  sufficiently 
printed,  the  tone  values  of  the  principal  light  and  sec- 
ondary lights  are  apparently  equal,  the  development  of 
the  negative  has  i)rol)ably  been  carried  too  far.  Fig.  1 1 
is  an  example  of  a sky  subject  in  which  these  defects 
exist ; the  spotty  and  scattered  lighting,  it  will  be  seen, 
produces  a restless  feeling  in  the  mind  of  the  observer 
and  causes  the  eye  to  wander  from  one  i)atch  of  bright- 
ness to  another.  In  Fig.  12,  however,  we  have  an  illus- 
tration of  a cloud  effect,  in  securing  which  the  fore- 
going principles  have  been  observed.  N^ote  how  the 
concentration  of  the  principal  light,  and  the  due  subor- 
dination of  the  lesser  or  secondary  lights,  produce  a 
feeling  of  unity  and  strength.  It  is  this  quality  that  we 


38 


V I CTORI AL  LA N DSCA PE  P IIOTOGR A P II Y. 


should  aim  at  producing  when  making  our  sky  nega- 
tives. 

Tint  although  we  have  so  far  confined  our  attention 
to  the  portrayal  of  sky  effects  in  which  cloud-forms 


Fig.  II. 

more  or  less  strong  are  the  dominant  feature,  we  must 
not  lose  sight  of  the  importance  of  these  soft,  gray 
efifects,  which  can  he  so  truthfully  reproduced  hy  pho- 
tography. We  mean  those  soft,  low-toned,  quiet,  misty 


nCTOKIAL  LANDSCAI’E  1’ IIOTOGRAI’II Y. 


39 


skies,  when  no  cloiul  outlines  are  visible  and  the  air  is 
motionless,  and  the  atinosi)here  more  or  less  hazy  and 
misty. 


Fig.  12. 

We  have  in  the  reproduction  entitled  “ River 
Mists”  (Fi^c;’.  13,  frontisjMece) , an  effect  in  which  this 
aspect  of  nature  is,  we  think,  rather  strikingly  shown. 


40 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PPIOTOGRAPH Y. 


To  have  printed  clouds  into  such  a subject  would  have 
quite  destroyed  the  sentiment  and  actuality  desired  to 
be  conveyed. 

Care  must  be  taken  in  developing  such  subjects  by 
tilting  the  dish,  or  applying  bromide  with  a mop,  to  pre- 
vent the  sky  portion  of  the  negative  from  attaining  too 
much  density,  Init  this  can  be  easily  guarded  against  by 
making  the  exposure  with  the  shutter,  which  we  have 
already  described. 

The  alternative  method  of  obtaining  such  a sky 
effect  in  those  cases  where  the  negative  produces  a 
white  sky  in  the  print,  is  by  “sunning  down”  after 
printing,  an  operation  which  we  shall  have  occasion  to 
refer  to  and  describe  later.  It  is  better,  however,  when- 
ever possible,  to  secure  the  natural  printable  effect  in 
the  negative  itself,  when  a gray-day  effect  is  sought. 


CHAPTER  V. 


COMPOSITION  AND  THE  ARRANGEMENT  OF  THE 
SINIJECT. 

The  mere  photographing’  of  a picturesque  scene, 
however  beautiful,  if  we  eliminate  the  element  of 
chance,  will  he  insiilficient  to  produce  a pictorially  and 
artistically  pleasing  result,  ddie  component  parts  of  a 
])ictnre,  he  they  few  or  many,  must  he  so  arranged  or 
disposed  in  relation  to  each  other  as  to  form  a harmoni- 
ous whole,  and  the  rules  which  govern  the  due  building 
up  or  arrangement  of  the  picture  are  called  " the  laws 
of  composition.”  It  will  be,  of  course,  obvious  that  the 
photographer  will  experience  far  greater  difficulty  in 
conforming  to  these  than  would  he  the  case  with  the 
painter.  Hut,  fortunately  for  the  former,  these  rules 
are  chiefly  of  a negative  character,  and  although  it  is 
necessary  that  the  artist-photographer  should  l)e  famil- 
iar with  them,  it  is  by  no  means  essential  that  he  should 
too  rigidly  adhere  to  their  tenets.  The  skilled  ])ainter, 
while  observing  a so-called  “ law,”  can  conceal  the  arti- 
fice by  which  the  i)articular  efYect  he  seeks  to  ])ortray  is 
])rodnced,  hut  the  photographer,  working  on  the  same 
“ law,”  may  only  succeed  in  producing  a result  in  which 
the  method  em])loyed  is  glaringly  conspicuous.  It  is 
often  said  that  rules  “ are  only  made  to  he  broken,”  and 
this  is  specially  true  of  the  so-called  “ rules  of  art,” 
which  the  reader  must  learn  to  eiu])loy  with  due  discre- 
tion and  judgment. 


41 


42 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


It  is  not  within  the  province  of  this  text-book  to  dis- 
cuss in  great  detail  the  rules  of  composition.  Burnett’s 
“ Essays  on  Art,”  and  kindred  works,  should  be  stud- 
ied, and,  if  ])ossihle,  we  would  strongly  advise  the  stu- 
dent to  join  an  art  class  and  undergo  a course  of  lessons 
in  drawing  and  composition. 

I'erhajis  the  greatest  difficulty  with  which  the  stu- 
dent will  he  met  will  he  in  the  correct  translation  of  the 
gorgeous  colors  of  nature  into  black  and  white.  Many 
failures  to  secure  a ])ictorial  result  arc  due  to  the  failure 
of  the  ])hotogra])hic  ])i*ocess  to  correctly  translate  color 
values  into  monochrome.  The  ordinary  ])late  renders 
green  much  darker  than  it  ap])cars  in  nature,  blue  much 
lighter,  while  reds  and  yellows  are  reproduced  practi- 
cally as  blacks.  Tsochromatic,  or  color-sensitive,  ])latcs 
are,  therefore,  for  many  subjects  indispensable,  and  for 
landscape  work,  no  less  than  for  skyscapes  — their 
advantages  for  which  T have  already  ])ointed  out  — 
(Cha])ter  III  ante)  T regard  them  as  essential. 

coiu])lete  knowledge  of  the  shortcomings  of  pho- 
tography in  the  rendering  of  color  is  indispensable  to 
the  student  in  order  that  he  may  know  what  he  may 
attempt  with  a reasonable  hope  of  success,  and  what  he 
must  reject.  The  ability  to  sketch  an  effect,  though  it 
he  in  the  roughest  manner,  which  it  is  desired  to  rc])ro- 
duce,  will  he  found  of  the  greatest  assistance  in  ascer- 
taining how  any  particular  subject  will  look  in  mono- 
chrome when  dei)rived  of  the  charm  dependent  upon  its 
color.  The  greatest  care  must  he  taken  at  all  times  to 
avoid  being  tempted  by  the  beauty  of  local  coloring  to 
attempt  the  portrayal  of  subjects  which  for  this  reason 
are  beyond  the  skill  of  the  photogra])her  to  do  justice 
to.  It  is  this ‘fact  which  makes  pictorial  landsca])e  ])ho- 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


43 


tography  so  different  from  painting,  and  often  renders 
the  advice  of  a painter,  ignorant  of  the  defects  of  pho- 
tography, of  little  ])ractical  value  to  the  photographer. 
Many  subjects  i)erfectly  possible  to  the  former  are  cpiite 
beyond  the  skill  of  the  latter,  solely  on  account  of  the 
impossibility  of  correctly  rendering  color  value  in 
monochrome. 

It  is  a good  ])lan  to  look  at  the  proposed  snliject 
through  a ])iece  of  smoked  glass  — or  a ])iece  of  yellow 
glass  — the  eff'ect  of  which  will  be  to  lower  or  weaken 
the  local  coloring,  and  thereby  enable  a more  correct 
idea  of  the  a])pearance  of  the  scene  to  he  obtained  when 
de])rived  of  the  eff'ect  due  to  its  local  color. 

That  artists  arc  “ l)orn  and  not  made  ” is  an  axiom 
the  triteness  of  which  does  not  detract  from  its  truth, 
and  thus  we  constantly  ffnd  ])hotographers,  who  have 
not  received  any  art  training,  producing  work  which, 
when  analyzed,  is  seen  to  conform  more  or  less  to  cer- 
tain rules,  of  which  its  producers  may  be  quite  ignorant. 
These  rules,  so  far  as  they  aff'ect  the  photographer,  we 
will  now  proceed  briefly  to  discuss  — ])remising  that 
the  most  important,  from  the  photographic  point  of 
view,  are  those  that  deal  with  “ line,”  “ balance,”  and 
” chiaroscuro,"  or  “ light  and  shade.”  To  the  latter  we 
have  just  brieffy  referred,  but  we  shall  have  to  recur 
again  to  it  later. 

If  we  dissect  any  picture,  be  it  a painting  or  photo- 
gra])h,  we  shall  find  that  the  salient  or  principal  parts 
conform  to  an  arrangement  of  lines,  and  the  success  or 
failure  of  the  representation,  from  the  i)ictorial  point  of 
view,  will  depend,  in  the  large  majority  of  cases,  upon 
the  disposition  of  these  lines. 

This  at  once  Indngs  us  to  a rule,  the  non-observance 


44 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPR  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


of  which  is  one  reason  why  so  many  photographs  are 
artistically  displeasing.  It  is  a very  simple  rule  in  its 
terms,  but  to  the  ])hotographer  often  a very  difficult  one 
to  a])ply : “Repetition  of  lines  should  he  avoided.” 
Fig.  14  is  a rather  l)ad  example  of  a neglect  of  this  rule. 


Fig.  14.’ 


The  photograph,  however  good  technically,  does  not 
appeal  to  one’s  sense  of  the  artistic,  the  reason  being 
that  we  find  upon  analysis  that  the  above  rule  has  been 
disregarded,  the  jiicture  being  built  up  as  it  were  of  a 
series  of  jiarallel  lines.  The  foreground,  the  vessels, 
the  distant  mountains,  and  even  the  clouds,  may  all  he 
rejiresented  as  so  many  lines  running  a])proximately 
])arallel  to  each  other.  The  ])hotograph  was  taken  in  a 
locality  which  certainly  is  not  lacking  in  the  elements  of 
the  ])icturescpie ; the  fault  was  in  the  selection  of  an 
unsuitable  ]wint  of  view.  This  reminds  us,  by  the  way, 
that  when  errors  of  comjiosition  are  pointed  out  to  the 


PICTORIAI.  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


45 


photographer,  one  is  often  met  l)y  the  rejoinder,  “ I 
could  not  do  this,  that,  or  the  other ; it  was  impossible 
to  take  the  photograph  from  any  other  point  of  view.” 
In  such  cases  (and  in  photography  they  are  confessedly 
very  nnmerous)  there  is  no  alternative;  if  the  subject 
will  not  compose  satisfactorily,  the  temptation  to 
expose  a plate  upon  it  must  be  resisted.  If  this  be  made 
an  inviolable  rule,  yonr  work  will  in  consequence  be  all 
the  stronger. 

The  illustration  (Fig.  14)  is  an  example  of  the  best, 
having  been  made  of  unsuitable  material,  but  the  result 


Fig.  15. 


is  artistically  a failure,  and  except  as  providing  an 
example  of  what  to  avoid,  it  would  have  been  better  not 
to  have  made  an  exposure. 

In  Fig.  15  we  have  a much  more  successful  render- 
ing of  practically  the  same  sul)ject,  and  if  we  apply  the 


46 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


same  analytical  process  we  find  that  it  conforms  to  i 

another  ride  which  bears  a close  relationship  to  the  last.  | 

It  is  that  ‘‘  The  general  lines  of  a picture  must  be  bal-  | 


Fig.  i6. 


anced  by  opposing  lines.”  By  slightly  altering  the  posi- 
tion of  the  camera  we  have  succeeded  in  producing 
what  we  may  consider  to  he  a fairly  artistic  result,  the 
reason  being  that  we  have  obtained  such  a disposition 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPK  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


47 


of  the,  various  elements  composing-  the  ])ictnre  as  con- 
forms to  the  last-mentioned  rule. 

A curved  line  is  always  more  heantifnl  than  a 
straight  one.  Hogarth,  it  is  said,  used  to  demonstrate 
this  by  twisting  a cane  round  an  elongated  cone,  and 
one  can  not  conceive  a more  apt  illustration.  A wind- 
ing road,  or  stream,  will  often  ])rovide  the  photogra- 
pher with  the  most  graceful  lines  imaginable,  and  such 
helps  to  composition  should,  whenever  possible,  be 
availed  of.  In  Fig.  i6  we  have  a striking  instance  of 
how  such  an  element  (a  rutty,  muddy,  snow-covered 
country  road),  in  itself  quite  without  beauty,  may  l^e 
made  a strong  feature  in  an  otherwise  uninteresting 
subject.  Take  away  the  ruts,  and  leave  a smooth, 
unbroken  surface,  aud  the  whole  jiictorial  value  of  the 
composition  disa])pears. 

Continuing  our  critical  analysis  of  the  com])osition 
of  a good  ])icturc,  we  shall  find  that  “ the  wedge  ” sys- 
tem is  one  that  is  very  iiopular  with  landsca})e  j)ainters, 
and  one  that  may  lie  adopted  with  success  by  the  pho- 
tographer. In  using  it,  the  greatest  care  must  he  taken 
not  to  have  the  o])posing  wedge-sha])ed  masses  eciual  in 
size,  and  also  to  see  that  the  apex  of  the  principal 
wedge  is  suitably  sup])orted.  In  Fig.  17  we  have  a 
photogra])h  which  has  been  composed  on  this  ])i*inci])le. 
Let  us  critically  examine  it  and  see  how  the  rule  has 
been  a])plied.  The  principal  wedge  is  formed  by  the 
canal  and  the  long  hedge  which  runs  to  its  ai)cx  just 
where  the  stooi)ing  figure  is  placed,  which,  together 
with  the  curved  line  of  the  path,  give  su])port  to  the 
wedge.  We  have,  by  the  way,  endeavored,  as  far  as 
possible,  to  give  photographic  rather  than  diagram- 
matic illustrations  of  the  application  of  these  rules  of 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


49 


art,  because  to  photographers  we  think  they  will  appeal 
all  the  stronger. 

Every  successful  picture  must  have  a ])rincipal 
object,  to  which  all  other  elements  of  the  composition 
have  been  subordinated.  In  photography,  where  it  is 
so  easy  to  include  and  so  difficult  to  eliminate,  we  shall 
frequently  find  that  all  our  skill  is  required  to  conform 
to  this  rule.  In  observing  it,  however,  we  must  ever  be 
on  our  guard  not  to  do  so  slavishly,  or  the  artifice  by 
which  we  have  produced  our  result  may  be  apparent,  in 
which  case  we  shall  have  failed,  and  that  badly,  for,  as 
we  have  already  said,  the  greatest  art  is  in  concealing 
the  means  by  which  a given  result  has  l)een  produced. 

In  most  cases  the  principal  object  will  derive  its 
chief  strength  from  the  position  assigned  to  it  in  the 
])icture.  In  general  the  weakest  part  of  a picture  is  its 
center,  but  to  this  rule  there  are  exceptions,  though  a 
departure  from  it  can  only  be  successfully  made  under 
very  favoral)le  circumstances,  as,  for  example,  when 
the  sentiment  or  motif  is  conveyed  to  the  observer  with 
such  striking  clearness  that  the  mind  is  unconscious  of 
the  transgression  of  any  law. 

It  is  impossible  to  lay  down  any  positive  rule  as  to 
the  position  in  the  ])icture  which  the  principal  object 
should  occupy,  but  if  we  mark  out  our  ground-glass 
screen  in  the  manner  shown  in  Fig.  i8  we  shall  l)e  able 
the  more  readily  to  determine  the  weak  and  the  strong 
points  in  our  pictures.  The  ])oint  of  intersection  of  any 
two  of  the  lines  may  1)e  regarded  as  the  strongest  points 
of  the  i)icture,  i.  e.,  5,  6,  7 and  8,  while  the  centers  of 
the  rectangles  9 to  16  are  less  strong,  the  center  rect- 
angle A being  the  weakest  ])art  of  the  picture.  The 
principal  mass,  or  object,  should  not  be  placed  in  the 
4 


50 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCxU’E  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


center.  If  you  can  not  be  repeatedly  shifting  the  posi- 
tion of  the  camera  and  altering  the  focus  of  the  lens  to 
succeed  in  getting  a satisfactory  grouping  of  the  sub- 
ject, do  not  he  tempted  to  expose  a plate  upon  it.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  do  not  give  in  without  trying  every 
conceivable  position.  Recollect  that  success  may  not 
always  depend  u])on  successful  grouping,  or  a satisfac- 
tory arrangement  of  line;  awkward  angles  may  be 


/ 


2 


compensated  for  and  balance^  restored  by  the  intro- 
duction of  suitable  clouds,  and  a picture  that  trans- 
gresses all  rules  of  composition  may  he  saved  hy  a 
strong  arrangement  of  light  and  shade. 

A modification  of  the  wedge  form  of  composition  is 
the  zigzag,  in  which  the  princijial  lines  take  the  form  of 
diagonal  lines  zigzagging,  as  it  were,  across  the  pic- 
ture. We  have  an  illustration  of  this  in  I"ig.  19,  “ The 
Day  Was  Nearly  Done.”  It  will  be  seen  that  the  pic- 


3 4 


9 

w 

// 

6 

) 

. 12 

\ 

K ) 

A 

X 

N 

/3 

7' 

/4 

y / 

16 

8 

16 

3 4 

Fig.  18. 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY, 


51 


THE  DAY  WAS  NEARLY  DONE. 
Fig.  19. 


52 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


tiire  is  built  up,  as  it  were,  on  the  zigzag  principle ; the 
line  starts  from  the  shore,  then  runs  from  the  steps  to 
the  boats,  hack  to  the  edge  of  the  picture  — a weak 
spot,  and  it  would  have  been  better  to  have  lowered  the 
camera  so  as  to  connect  the  foreground  and  distant 
bank,  instead  of  allowing  them  to  he  separated  by  the 
water.  The  zigzag  is  continued  by  the  line  of  the 
trees,  which  line  is  again  carried  back  by  the  clouds. 


CHAPTER  \T. 


SELECTION  OF  SUBJECT. 

In  regard  to  the  choice  of  locality  and  the  nature  of 
the  country  in  which  we  propose  to  seek  our  picture- 
making  material,  a few  words  of  advice  may  not  be 
without  value.  It  is  in  itself  a matter  of  comparatively 
small  moment  what  the  special  natural  features  of  the 
country  in  which  we  ha])pen  to  be  located  are,  provided 
that  we  ])ossess  sufficient  artistic  perce])tion  to  recog- 
nize the  pictorial  ])ossihilities  of  a subject  whenever  we 
come  across  ])romising  material,  and  ha\x  sufficient 
technical  ability  to  carry  out  our  ideas. 

Here  the  photogra])her  is  seriously  handicapi)ed  as 
compared  with  the  painter,  for  the  former  possesses 
only  to  a very  limited  extent  the  power  of  eliminating 
that  which  is  unnecessary  or  detrimental  to  the  subject. 
Put,  as  we  shall  presently  show,  there  are  means  of 
suppressing  undesirable  subject-matter  and  of  empha- 
sizing that  to  which  it  is  desired  to  direct  attention, 
whereby  we  may  exercise  more  control  over  the  final 
result  than  to  the  uninitiated  would  appear  possil)le. 

Many  landscape  photographers,  we  think,  fail  to 
realize  the  kind  of  scenery,  or  rather  class  of  subjects, 
that  best  lend  themselves  to  i)hotograj)hic  treatment. 
Many  a]>pear  to  think  that  in  order  to  command  success 
it  is  necessary  to  seek  the  picturesque,  the  sublime,  or 
the  grand.  Now,  a greater  mistake  than  this  could  not 
well  be  made,  for  scenery  of  this  description  usually 


53 


54 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


presents  difficnlties  which  are  well-nigh  insuperable. 
Simple  subjects  will,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  make  the 
most  satisfactory  and  pleasing  photographs.  Choose 
such,  therefore,  and  leave  the  majestic  and  the  grand  to 
the  painter.  Recollect  always  that  the  ultimate  effect 
will  depend  as  much,  or,  indeed,  more,  upon  the  way  in 
which  the  subject  is  treated  than  upon  its  nature. 
There  are  few  subjects,  however  apparently  common- 
place and  ordinary  in  themselves,  that  may  not,  by  care- 
ful treatment,  be  almost  idealized. 

I do  not  recommend  the  plan  often  adopted  by  pho- 
tographers, of  journeying  to  a particular  locality,  and 
then  tramping  though  it  with  the  camera,  putting  uj) 
the  latter  and  exposing  a plate  when  something  jiretty 
or  pleasing  arrests  the  attention,  very  much  in  the  same 
way  as  a sportsman  shoots  at  anything  coming  within 
the  range  of  his  gun.  Such  methods  should  not  com- 
mend themselves  to  the  thoughtful  pictorial  worker. 
Ricturemaking,  whether  it  be  by  photographic  or  any 
other  agency,  is  a matter  which  demands  far  more 
thought  and  care  than  can  be  bestowed  upon  it  under 
such  circumstances.  A really  satisfying  and  well-ex- 
])ressed  result  can  rarely,  if  ever,  be  secured  by  such 
haphazard  means.  A pictorial  i)hotograph  must  be 
something  more  than  a faithful  representation  of  the 
subject  portrayed : it  must  suggest  the  sentiment,  or 
idea,  or,  as  an  artist  would  say,  the  “ motif  ” which  its 
])roducer  is  seeking  to  convey  to  the  mind  of  the 
observer.  Think  out  your  subject  well,  therefore, 
before  attempting  to  make  an  ex])osure,  and  do  not  be 
discouraged  if,  when  you  have  done  so,  the  result  does 
not  come  u])  to  your  ideal ; ex])ose  another  ])late,  or  six, 
or  a dozen,  and  do  not  rest  content  until  you  have 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


55 


attained  some  measure  of  success.  The  man  who  is 
never  fully  satisfied  with  his  work,  hut  is  always  striv- 
ing to  produce  something-  better  than  he  has  hitherto 
attained  to,  will  generally  he  in  the  forefront  of  his 
competitors. 

Speaking  of  the  choice  of  locality,  the  most  success- 
ful photographic  work,  from  the  pictorial  point  of  view, 
will  generally  be  accom])lished  in  districts  in  which 
there  is  not  an  overabundance  of  those  elements  which 
are  usually  supposed  to  entitle  the  neighborhood  in 
which  they  are  found  to  such  epithets  as  “ grand,” 
“ sublime,”  beautiful,”  and  so  on.  Amid  such  sur- 
roundings the  very  richness  and  abundance  of  nature’s 
charms  will  dazzle  the  eyes  of  the  photogra])her,  and 
unless  he  be  exceedingly  careful,  make  it  well-nigh 
impossible  for  him  to  produce  a really  satisfactory  and 
pleasing  result.  It  is  extremely  difficult  for  the  most 
skilled  worker  to  succeed  under  such  conditions,  and 
those  lacking  training  and  experience  will  almost  cer- 
tainly be  disappointed  with  the  result  of  their  labors. 
All  attempts  at  pictorial  photography  succeed  best 
when  the  subjects  are  essentially  simple  in  their  nature. 
Let  your  constant  care  be  to  ascertain  what  you  can 
spare  and  omit,  rather  than  worry  as  to  how  much  more 
subject-matter  you  can  squeeze  into  your  composition. 

Let  us  take,  for  example,  such  a view  as  that  shown 
in  Fig.  20,  which  tempted  us  to  expose  a plate.  The 
natural  beauty  of  the  scene  is  undeniable,  and  we  were 
lost  in  admiration  for  the  freshness  and  brilliancy  of  the 
bright  spring  atmosphere,  the  vivid  green  of  the  young 
foliage  and  the  warm  glow  of  the  sunlight  as  it  was 
reflected  in  a thousand  glittering  s])angles  on  the  young 
buds.  We  were  dazzled,  as  it  were,  with  all  this  beauty 


J 


56  PlCTOKIAr.  LANDSCAI'K  PIIOTOGRAril Y. 


20, 


Fig.  21. 


I 


58 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY^ 


as  the  eye  wandered  from  point  to  point,  and  we  did  not 
pause,  before  removing  the  cap  from  the  lens,  to 
analyze  our  feelings  or  the  motives  which  prompted  us 
to  make  an  exposure.  We  simply  thought  ‘‘  how  beau- 
tiful,” and  straightway  made  an  exposure  without  stop- 
ping to  consider  what  kind  of  rendering  photography 
would  give  of  such  a scene.  We  did  not  for  the 
moment  realize  the  beauty  of  the  scene  was,  to  a large 
extent,  dependent  upon  its  color,  and  that  the  particular 
effect  of  light  and'  shade  and  color  which  gave  us  so 
much  i)leasure  would  be  reproduced  in  our  photograph 
as  an  irritating  mass  of  spotty  lights  and  shadows,  and 
that,  deprived  of  its  charm  of  color,  the  photograidiic 
rendering  of  the  scene  would  be  quite  commonplace  and 
ordinary. 

To  prove,  however,  that  such  subjects  by  suitable 
treatment  may  be  dealt  with  successfully,  we  will  make 
a fresh  attempt.  This  time,  however,  we  were  careful 
to  choose  a day  when  the  lighting  was  soft  and  sub- 
dued, when  a ” feeling  ” of  atmosphere  prevailed  and 
the  forms  of  distant  objects  were  slightly  veiled  or 
obscured.  We  made  our  first  exposure  in  the  middle  of 
the  day,  probably  the  most  unfavorable  time  that  we 
could  have  chosen,  but  now  we  purposely  wait  until 
near  sundown,  when  the  shadows  are  long,  and  the  ris- 
ing evening  mist  imparts  a delicate  atmosjdieric  effect 
to  the  scene  which  is  absent  at  any  other  time.  In 
focusing,  we,  of  course,  bear  in  mind  all  that  has  been 
said  in  the  chapter  dealing  with  that  important  matter, 
and  we  take  especial  pains  to  avoid  getting  any  portion 
of  the  ])icture  unduly  sharj),  and  refrain  from  gratify- 
ing any  mistaken  desire  to  secure  unnecessary  detail  by 
unduly  stopping  down  the  lens. 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPK  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


59 


We  have  chosen,  it  will  be  seen,  to  wilfully  disre- 
g-ard  an  axiom  which  is  generally  to  be  found  in  the 
technical  text-books,  namely,  to  avoid  pointing  the  lens 
toward  the  source  of  light.  The  same  authorities  tell 
us  that  the  infraction  of  this  rule  will  inevitably  result 
in  a fogged  plate.  \\  ere  it  so,  the  possibilities  of  pic- 
torial photography  would  be  much  more  restricted  than 
they  really  are.  The  truth  is  that  some  of  the  most 
beautiful  effects  of  lighting  are  only  to  be  obtained  by 
\;orking  in  this  way.  lUit  at  the  same  time,  the  system 
is  one  which,  if  unskilfully  em])loyed,  is  capable  of  pro- 
ducing the  most  unpleasing  and  inartistic  results. 
Artistic  knowledge  and  technical  skill  must  both  be 
invoked  if  the  final  result  is  to  be  ])leasing.  If  you  are 
satisfied  that  a particular  effect  is  • a suitable  one 
for  photographic  reproduction,  depending,  perchance, 
mainly  on  a fine  distribution  of  light  and  shade,  rather 
than  upon  a vivid  or  beautiful  scheme  of  color,  then  by 
all  means  disregard  the  conventions  of  technic,  and, 
using  proper  precautions,  do  your  best  to  secure  a nega- 
tive. 

The  chief  practical  difficulty  is  in  avoiding  chance 
refiections  from  rays  of  direct  light  striking  the  lens,  or 
its  setting,  and  so  causing  flare  or  fog.  This  must  be 
guarded  against  by  using  a sky-shade  or  shutter  which 
can  be  adjusted  to  shut  out  the  intruding  beams  of 
light.  We  may  very  often  effect  the  same  object,  even 
when  working  right  in  the  sun’s  eye,  by  shifting  the 
camera  until  we  get  a trunk  of  a tree,  or  a bough,  to 
intervene  between  the  sun  and  the  lens,  and  so  shut  out 
the  actual  direct  rays.  We  have  an  example  of  this  in 
Fig.  22,  which  was  taken  with  the  sun  shining  full  into 


6o 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


the  lens,  the  result  being  that  a very  natural  and  pleas- 
ing effect  of  lighting  was  produced. 

The  second  practical  difficulty  is  in  correctly  esti- 
mating exposure.  Beginners  usually  fail  hy  giving  too 
little,  the  consequence  being  that  the  shadows  are  badly 
rendered  and  all  half-tone  and  atnios])here  cut  out  and 


Fig.  22. 


killed.  In  such  cases  it  is  well  to  rememlier  the  time- 
honored  adage,  and  expose  for  the  shadows,  which 
must  he  iirojierly  rendered  if  the  result  is  to  please  ; the 
lights  will  take  care  of  themselves,  and  slight  overex- 
posure will  only  tend  to  reduce  their  hardness.  In  the 
example  under  discussion  1 gave  ten  seconds’  exposure 
with  a lens  aperture  of  f it,  which  many  would  ])rob- 
ahly  consider  excessive,  but  were  I to  repeat  the  expos- 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY.  6l 

ure  under  similar  conditions,  I should  prefer  to  increase 
it  to  fifteen  seconds. 

There  is  only  one  kdnd  of  plate  that  will  do  full  jus- 
tice to  this  kind  of  work,  and  that  is  the  isochromatic 
or  color-sensitive,  and  it  is  essential  that  it  should  he 
hacked  in  order  to  jirevent  excessive  halation.  I say 
“ excessive  ” advisedly,  for  in  subjects  such  as  those  we 
are  considering  a certain  amount  of  halation  is  both 
natural  and  desirable,  and,  if  we  have  any  regard  for 
truth  of  efifect,  essential.  If  we  look  at  the  sun  shining 
through  and  behind  tree  trunks  in  any  woodland  glade 
we  shall  always  see  the  blurred  appearance  which  pho- 
tographers call  “ halation.”  It  is  in  many  cases  a per- 
fectly natural  phenomenon,  and  may  with  advantage  he 
reproduced,  liearing  in  mind,  of  course,  that  the  ten- 
dency of  photography  is  generally  to  exaggerate  rather 
than  subdue  such  phenomena. 

Let  us  now  return  to  a critical  comparison  of  the 
two  renderings  of  the  same  view  which  appear  in  Figs. 
20  and  21,  which  have  been  reproduced  on  opposite 
pages  in  order  to  facilitate  examination.  Why  is  Fig. 
22  so  much  more  satisfactory  and  pleasing  than  its 
neighbor?  The  subject  is  ])ractically  identical,  though, 
as  we  have  already  seen,  it  received  very  different  treat- 
ment in  each  case.  Fig.  20  fails  to  please  chiefly 
because  of  its  ‘‘  spottiness,”  or  the  general  scattering  of 
the  lights  and  shades,  which  has  deprived  it  of 
” breadth,”  an  essential  attribute  of  a good  picture.  By 
“ breadth  ” is  meant  a harmonious  disposition  of  light 
and  shade ; and  ‘‘  s])ottiness  ” is  the  antithesis  of  this 
quality.  The  photographer  will  often  experience  the 
greatest  difficulty  in  securing  breadth  of  effect  in  his 
landscapes,  for  nature  lights  them  with  a lavish  and 


62 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


indiscriminating-  hand,  and  it  will  be  frequently  neces- 
sary to  subjugate  and  control  them  by  methods  which 
we  ])ropose  to  describe  in  our  next  chapter,  and  which 
we  have  invoked  in  the  production  of  the  rendering 
shown  in  Fig.  22,  in  which  it  will  be  seen  the  undesir- 
able attributes  to  which  we  have  referred  have  to  some 
extent  been  subdued  or  removed. 


CHAPTER  VIE 


CONTROL. 

I am  fully  aware,  in  approaching  this  part  of  the 
subject,  that  1 am  getting  upon  very  debatable  ground, 
and  dealing  with  a topic  u])on  which  very  diverse  opin- 
ions are  held,  and  one  which,  whenever  raised,  usually 
])rovokes  a more  or  less  acrimonious  discussion.  It  is 
just  this  result,  however,  that  I would  endeavor  to 
avoid,  for  no  possible  good  and  j^rohahly  much  harm  is 
the  direct  outcome  of  such  discussion,  which,  after  all 
said  and  done,  generally  leaves  the  matter  discussed  in 
the  same  position  as  before. 

Whether  it  is  legitimate  to  resort  to  methods  of  con- 
trol which  are  not  of  a strictly  ])hotographic  character 
or  not  is  an  ethical  cpiestion  which  I must  leave  every 
reader  to  determine  for  himself.  At  present  the  limita- 
tions and  restrictions  of  the  photographic  process  are 
sometimes  such  that  some  control,  whether  photo- 
graphic or  otherwise  I do  not  for  the  moment  pause  to 
consider,  would  appear  to  he  essential  in  order  to  i)i*o- 
duce  a truly  artistic  result.  And  even  if  our  photo- 
graphic methods  of  rei)roduction  had  reached  to  a far 
greater  degree  of  perfection  than  is  actually  the  case, 
very  seldom,  indeed,  do  we  find  in  nature  a subject  so 
perfect  both  in  composition  and  in  chiaroscuro  as  not  to 
be  susceptible  of  any  further  improvement. 

While  I am  no  advocate  of  brush  photography,  or 
the  productions  of  that  hybrid  type  of  photograph 


63 


64 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


which  challenges  the  question,  “ Is  it  a painting  or  a 
photograph  ?"  I do,  nevertheless,  hold  that  it  is  both 
legitimate  and  proper  to  resort  to  any  method  of  con- 
trol that  will  tend  to  the  production  of  a more  artistic 
or  truthful  realization  of  the  ])articular  phase  of  nature 
which  it  is  intended  to  represent. 

Artistic  photography,  from  the  point  of  view  of 
pure  photogra])hy,  is  well-nigh  an  impossibility,  for,  as 
I have  said,  we  can  not  find  our  ])ictures  ready-made  in 
the  open.  Nature,  in  short,  with  all  its  marvelous  wealth 
of  beauty,  is  not  necessarily  artistic,  in  the  artist’s  sense. 
There  are  but  few  scenes  ])resented  to  us  by  nature  that 
a skilled  painter  would  not  find  it  necessary  to  control, 
modify  or  alter  in  some  respect  or  other  in  transferring 
them  to  his  canvas.  How  much  greater,  then,  the 
necessity  for  the  exercise  of  control  in  the  case  of  pho- 
tography, the  tendency  of  which  is  to  give  undue 
prominence  to  minor  details,  to  exaggerate  contrast, 
and  to  give  an  untrue  rendering  of  color  values.  It  is 
true  that  hy  the  due  exercise  of  skill  all  these  tendencies 
may  to  a large  extent  be  kept  in  subjection,  but  the 
inherent  disabilities  of  the  jwocess  remain,  and,  I think, 
were  one  to  shut  one’s  eyes  to  the  fact  that  by  ado])ting 
certain  procedure  some  of  these  difficulties  may  be 
overcome,  and  refuse  to  avail  ourselves  of  them,  we 
should  only  be  emulating  the  example  of  the  proverbial 
camel. 

I would,  however,  at  the  outset  impress  upon  my 
reader  two  things : h'irstly,  whenever  ])ossible,  to  avoid 
all  semblance  of  “ faking  ” and  endeavor  to  see  how 
near  to  your  ideal  realization  of  the  subject  nature  and 
unaided  idiotography  will  allow  you  to  get. 

Secondly,  I wish  them  to  appreciate  that  the  sue- 


PICTORIAI.  LANDSCATK  T IIOTOGRA IMI Y.  65 

cessful  employment  of  controlling  effect  is  exceedingly 
difficult  of  attainment,  and  demands  not  only  the  pos- 
session of  the  true  artistic  temperament  and  instinct  to 
appreciate  what  is  necessary  to  be  done  in  the  way  of 
improvement,  but  also  a high  degree  of  technical  skill 
to  successfully  carry  it  out. 

I can  not  too  strongly  condemn  the  growing  ten- 
dency to  “ improve  ” ])hotographs  by  the  direct  a])plica- 
tion  of  hrushwork  to  the  print.  Fortunately  for  artistic 
photography  this  method  usually  defeats  its  own  object 
and  leaves  the  subject  treated  far  worse  than  it  was 
originally,  and  produces  a result  which  is  anything  but 
a work  of  art.  Apart  from  all  question  of  legitimacy, 
such  work  is  bad  art,  as,  indeed,  are  all  hybrid  methods, 
and,  therefore,  should  stand  condemned  upon  that 
ground  alone. 

This  leads  me  to  the  true  test  of  whether  what  is 
done  is  good,  or  the  reverse.  That  test  is  the  result. 
The  question  which  the  worker  must  always  ask  him- 
self is:  Does  the  method  which  has  l)cen  adoi)ted  to 
secure  the  desired  effect  betray  itself?  If  it  does,  then 
the  work  is  a failure,  for  the  greatest  art  lies  in  the  con- 
cealment of  the  artifice  by  which  a particular  result  is 
attained  — a trite  saying,  but  one  the  truth  of  which  is 
not  open  to  question,  and  which  is  preeminently  appli- 
cable to  the  present  discussion. 

When  any  working  or  retouching  of  the  negative  is 
attempted  there  is  always  the  greatest  danger  of  doing 
too  much,  and  directly  this  stage  is  reached,  the  method 
employed,  whatever  it  may  he,  becomes  obvious,  and 
the  result  is  failure.  For  this  reason  the  simplest  means 
are  generally  the  more  useful,  and  enable  greater 


5 


66 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


improvement  to  be  effected  than  methods  which  are 
more  elaborate. 

Handwork  u])on  ncg’ative  or  transparency  must 
always  he  executed  with  the  greatest  of  care,  or  its 
presence  will  at  once  he  detected.  We  do  not  recom- 
mend or  advise  its  employment  to  a greater  degree  than 
the  strengthening  of  a ])rincipal  light  or  the  deepening 
of  a shadow.  The  ])hotograph  that  falls  so  far  short 
of  expressing  the  desired  sentiment  as  to  appear  to  need 
the  elaborate  application  of  stump  or  pencil,  that  is 
sometimes  met  with  in  many  so-called  artistic  photo- 
graphs, in  our  o])inion  should  he  regarded  photograph- 
ically as  a failure,  and  he  treated  as  such. 

Whatever  may  he  its  artistic  shortcomings  in  other 
directions,  none  can  deny  the  marvelous  delicacy  of  the 
photogra])hic  image,  and  in  this  respect  brush  or  pen 
work  is  hopelessly  outrivaled,  however  skilful  its  exe- 
cution. The  two  methods  are  distinct  and  can  not  he 
comj)ared  ; how  futile  and  hopeless,  then,  to  attempt 
to  combine  them,  as  so  many  seem  to  he  doing  at  the 
present  time. 

I would,  by  way  of  introduction  to  the  more  tech- 
nical aspect  of  this  (piestion,  suggest  that  in  every  case 
the  reader  should,  before  attempting  to  “ improve  ” any 
negative,  ask  himself  the  question  whenever  the  oppor- 
tunity exists,  whether  he  could  not,  by  making  another 
exj)osure  under  ])ossihly  more  favorable  conditions, 
secure  a negative  that  woukl  yield  a nearer  appioxima- 
lioii  to  the  effect  desired,  and  only  attempt  “ improve- 
ment ” when  all  other  methods  fail. 

Now,  the  character  of  the  negative  is,  of  course,  an 
all-important  matter,  and  the  photographer  who  aspires 
to  be  a picturemaker  must  throw  aside  some  technical 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


67 


standards  of  perfection.  A “ fogg-y  ” negative,  for 
instance,  could  hardly  he  held  up  as  an  example  of 
good  technic,  yet  on  occasion  its  delil)erate  production 
and  employment  may  he  essential  to  the  successful  ren- 
dering of  a particular  effect. 

The  artistic  worker  can  not  set  up  for  himself  any 
ideal  standard  of  perfection  in  regard  to  the  quality  of 
his  negatives.  I'or  one  ])urpose  a thin,  delicate  nega- 
tive may  be  necessary  to  enable  him  to  reproduce  a 
given  effect,  while  to  render  some  other  and  different 
phase  of  nature  successfully  a negative  of  an  altogether 
different  type  will  he  recpiired. 

As  a rule,  ])articularly  if  after-treatment  is  to  be 
resorted  to,  a thin  negative  will  lie  found  most  useful 
and  more  amenable  to  “ controlling  ” influence  than  one 
of  a denser  or  stronger  type.  The  most  fruitful  source 
of  failure  in  attempting  to  secure  ])ictorial  results  by 
means  of  photography  is  underexposure  and  a desire 
to  secure  a ])retty-looking  negative.  In  my  own  prac- 
tice I habitually  overexpose,  and  to  this  fact  I attribute 
much  of  whatever  success  may  have  attended  my  efforts 
at  ])ictorial  work.  It  is  difficult  to  describe  the  ap])ear- 
ance  of  such  a negative  as  that  which  I am  now  advo- 
cating the  production  of.  No  part  of  it  — not  even  the 
deepest  shadows  — should  be  quite  hare  glass  ; a slight 
deposit  seems  essential  to  secure  a true  and  luminous 
shadow-rendering.  The  high  lights  must  not  he  too 
opaque,  and  a good  test  of  their  density  is  the  behavior 
of  the  print  during  ])rinting.  If  the  high  lights  are  of 
correct  density  the  sensitive  paper  representing  them 
should  show  plenty  of  detail  and  have  sensibly  dis- 
colored by  the  time  the  print  is  ready  for  removal  from 
the  frame. 


68 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


I find  that  these  qualities  can  l)e  secured  most  easily 
by  giving  a generous  exposure  and  developing  with  a 
weak  developer.  With  regard  to  the  latter,  1 always, 
except  it  he  for  experimental  purposes,  use  pyro  and 
ammonia,  for  not  only  does  it  give  me  more  control,  hut 
it  produces  a negative  of  a character  that  I can  not  .so 
readily  obtain  with  other  developers. 

A negative  of  the  type  and  produced  in  the  manner 
which  I have  endeavored  to  describe  will,  if  it  does  not 
give  the  efifect  in  the  ])rint  which  is  sought  for,  be  found 
to  he  more  amenable  to  after-treatment  than  one  of  the 
ordinary  good  technical  kind. 

The  devices  1)V  which  the  ])rinting  quality  of  a nega- 
tive may  he  altered  or  controlled  are  many,  hut  exigen- 
cies of  S])ace  will  only  ])ermit  us  to  refer  to  a few.  As 
we  have  before  said,  idicn,  lioiv  and  to  what  extent 
they  should  he  enq)loyed  must  in  each  case  he  left  to  the 
reader’s  judgment. 

One  of  the  greatest  difficulties  met  with  by  the  land- 
scape photographer  is  seattered  lighting.  In  mono- 
chrome work  especially  is  it  necessary  to  pay  attention 
to  the  due  emphasis  of  the  principal  light,  and  the  sub- 
jugation of  all  secondary  lights.  The  tendency  of  pho- 
tograi)hy  is  to  render  the  principal  light  and  all  second- 
ary lights  with  ecpial  force  and  intensity,  a condition  of 
things  which  necessarily  tends  to  destroy  that  most 
ini])ortant  (juality  — breadth.  .\  very  good  exam])le  of 
the  kind  of  defect  to  which  we  refer  is  to  be  seen  in  the. 
first  of  the  two  illustrations  (big.  20)  given  in  our  last 
cha])ter.  The  light,  it  will  be  seen,  is  reflected  with 
ecjiial  intensity-from  each  tiny  leaflet,  ])roducing  a most 
irritating  and  displeasing  efifect.  Tf  we  look  at  the  next 
illustration  we  shall  notice  a marked  improvement,  the 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY.  69 

scattered  lighting  has  been  subdued,  and  due  emphasis 
given  to  the  principal  light. 

This  defect  may  be  dealt  with  both  upon  the  nega- 
tive and  upon  the  print.  The  latter  plan  is  perha])s  the 
most  satisfactory.  The  im])rovement  is  elfected  by 
“ sunning  down  that  is  to  say,  printing  is  first  car- 
ried to  the  desired  extent  upon  the  sensitive  medium 
employed  — and  it  will  be  obviously  easier  to  work 
upon  a print-out  paper  than  u])on  one  that  recpiires  to 
he  developed  — and  then,  while  the  high  lights  are  suit- 
ably screened,  the  rest  of  the  print  is  subjected  to  the 
action  of  light,  or  “ sunned  ” down.  The  method  is 
one  that  requires  to  be  used  with  care,  as  an  untruthful 
result  may  very  easily  be  {produced,  for  the  shadows 
and  half-tones  are  deepened  in  the  same  ratio,  as  the 
high  lights,  and  the  general  tonality  of  the  j)rint  may 
he  spoiled.  In  ])ractice,  the  ])rint  is  taken  from  the 
frame  and  laid  face  upward  upon  a drawing-hoard,  a 
piece  of  clean  glass  being  superim])osed.  A handful 
of  cotton  wool  is  then  taken  and  lightly  pulled  out  until 
it  roughly  masks  the  princii)al  light,  and  those  portions 
of  the  picture  upon  which  further  light  action  is  not 
reepured.  The  ])rint  is  then  exposed  to  bright  dififused 
daylight  until  the  desired  amount  of  lowering  of  tone 
has  been  ])roduced.  Some  considerable  care  and  skill  is 
necessary  to  determine  how  far  the  action  should  he 
allowed  to  proceed,  and  it  will  he  necessary  to  con- 
stantly examine  the  print,  and  also  to  alter  the  outline 
of  the  masking  material  from  time  to  time  in  order*  to 
blend  the  shaded  ])ortion  imperceptibly  into  the  un- 
shaded ])ortion  of  the  ])rint. 

When  the  nature  and  rendering  of  the  subject 
demands  that  the  outline  of  the  portion  or  portions  of 


70 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


the  print  which  arc  to  be  protected  from  further  light 
action  must' be  carefully  preserved,  I take  a trial  print 
upon  silver  ])a])er,  and  cut  out  the  desired  portions,  and, 
after  sticking  them  u])on  thin  card,  I use  them  as 
masks,  laying  them  over  tlic  corresponding  ])ortions  of 
the  controlled  ])rint,  and,  if  necessary,  softening  their 
edges  with  a thin  tuft  of  cotton  wool  glued  on.  In  this 
way  high  lights  on  water,  rock  or  ice  may  he  ])reserved 
and  accentuated,  while  the  surrounding  parts  of  the 
])icturc  are  toned  down. 

Again,  another  method  of  ])rocedure  is  to  cover  the 
whole  ])rint  with  a sheet  of  thick  brown  paper,  and  hy 
lifting  u])  a corner  slowly  and  letting  it  fall  back,  a cor- 
ner or  any  marginal  ])ortion  of  the  ])rint  may  lie  toned 
down  to  any  desired  extent ; or  it  may  be  useful  in 
some  cases  to  cut  out  a stri])  of  the  jiaper  to  form  a flaj), 
which  may  be  lifted  up  and  allowed  to  fall  liack  in  the 
same  way  in  order  to  tone  down,  for  instance,  a ])ortion 
of  a large  exjianse  of  watery  foreground.  All  these  are 
very  old  devices,  but  ])ossibly  may  not  be  so  familiar 
to  ])resent-day  workers  as  they  are  to  those  of  the  old 
school. 

So  far  we  have  only  been  considering  how  to  ])re- 
serve  certain  existing  light,  while  other  ])ortions  of  the 
])ictnre  are  subdued  or  toned  down.  Ihit  we  have  also 
to  deal  with  the  converse  case  — namely,  the  actual 
strengthening  of  existing  lights.  Here  the  modus 
operandi  is  somewhat  dififerent,  and  more  skill  and 
artistic  knowledge  to  avoid  the  ])roduction  of  an  untrue 
effect  will  be  demanded.  When  work  of  this  kind  is 
attem])ted  it  will  in  many  cases  be  advisable  to  make  a 
transparency  from  the  negative,  the  latter  being  much 
easier  to  work  upon  than  the  negative  image.  For  this 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPK  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


71 


reason,  the  production  of  an  enlarji^ed  negative  from  a 
transparency  affords  a ready  means  of  effecting 
im])rovement  in  the  direction  we  are  now  referring  to. 
We  may  deepen  the  shadows  of  the  enlarged  trans])ar- 
ency  where  necessary  and  siihsecinently  strengthen  the 
high  lights  ii])on  the  enlarged  negative. 

Let  me,  however,  again  impress  upon  my  readers 
that,  although  I am  describing  various  means  of  effect- 
ing “ control,”  that  such  are  only  to  he  availed  of  as  a 
last  resource.  Let  yonr  aim  he  always  to  see  how  near 
to  the  realization  of  your  ideal  nature  and  pure  ])hotog- 
raphy  will  take  you,  and  if  yon  fail,  and  then  only, 
invoke  such  sim])le  and  straightforward  aids  as  those 
to  which  I have  called  attention. 

It  is,  I think,  rarely,  if  ever,  desirable  to  attempt 
any  pencil  or  brush  work  upon  the  film  side  of  the  nega- 
tive. Improvement  of  that  nature  can  be  much  more 
satisfactorily  effected  from  the  hack,  either  upon 
ground  glass,  tracing  j)aper,  tissue  paper,  or  cepa 
paper,  the  object  being  to  obtain  a translucent  diffusing 
medium  u])on  which  to  work.  ( )f  the  materials  named, 
1 think  ])erhaps  that  ordinary  tracing  paper  is  as  good 
as  any ; it  must  he  clean  and  uncreased.  It  should  not 
he  pasted  all  over  its  surface  when  attaching  it  to  the 
hack  of  negative,  or  the  uneven  marks  of  the  brush  will 
])robahly  show  in  the  ])rint.  The  brush,  charged  with 
ILTste  or  cement,  should  he  lightly  run  round  the  edges 
of  the  negative  to  the  de])th  of  about  Ll  inch,  and  the 
tracing  ])a])er,  cut  to  size,  applied.  When  dry  it  should 
])resent  an  even  surface  and  1)e  quite  tightly  strained. 
Such  a surface  will  afford  every  opportunity  for 
retouching  with  either  pencil,  crayon,  powdered  ])lum- 
bago  or  black  lead ; the  latter  should  he  finely  ground 


72 


PICTORIAI.  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


and  applied  with  a stump,  or  leather  dauber.  It  affords 
au  easy  and  effective  means  of  lightening  any  part  of 
the  negative  that  may  be  found  to  print  too  heavilw 
I'or  strengthening  high  lights  a lead-pencil  will  gener- 
ally he  found  the  most  satisfactory  medium.  1>,  ill> 
and  lUUUl  are  the  most  useful  grades.  Work  of  this 
descri])tion  rccpiires  to  he  executed  with  the  greatest 
care  and  skill,  or  the  remedy  may  prove  worse  than  the 
ill  which  it  is  sought  to  remedy.  A few  sim])le  touches 
will  in  most  cases  he  all  that  is  required.  Elaborate 
handwork  is  neither  necessary  nor  (lesiral)le,  the  mere 
strengthening  of  the  actual  chemical  deposit  on  the 
negative  being  all  that  should  he  attempted.  If  any 
evidence  of  handwork  he  noticeable  in  the  finished 
print,  the  result  should  be  adjudged  a failure. 

Some  few  years  since  1 introduced  a method  of 
im]3roving  faulty  negatives  which  has  in  my  own  prac- 
tice at  times  ])roved  a most  invaluable  aid  to  artistic 
effect.  It  de])ends  entirely  u])on  chemical  action,  and 
is,  therefore,  free  from  the  objections  which  some  urge 
against  mechanical  methods  of  improvement.  It  is 
])articularly  useful  in  dealing  with  slightly  undertimed 
negatives  in  which,  although  the  general  eff'ect  may  he 
good,  the  contrast  between  light  and  shadow  is  some- 
what too  ])ronounced.  When  ])rinted  without  further 
treatment  such  negatives  often  result  in  the  production 
of  ])rints  deficient  in  half-tone  and  with  harsh  shadows 
and  hard  high  lights.  Such  a subject  as  that  re]>ro- 
duced  in  hdg.  23  is  an  illustration  of  the  kind  of  ])rint  to 
which  1 am  referring.  It  is  the  result  j^artly  of  under- 
ex])osnre,  which  has  not  been  sufficient  for  the  deep 
shadows,  and  this  defect  has  been  somewhat  accentu- 
ated by  want  of  care  in  development,  the  use  of  a too 


PICTORTAL  r.AXnSCAPF  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


73 


concentrated  solution  having-  given  further  accession  of 
density  to  the  higli  lights,  d'he  result,  from  the  ])oint 
of  view  of  the  ])ictorial,  is,  of  course,  eminently  unsatis- 
factory, but  the  method  of  treatment  1 am  about  to 
describe  will  be  found  to  afford  an  effectual  remedy  for 
the  improvement  of  negatives  which  produce  such 
undesirable  (pialities  in  the  ])rints  made  from  them. 

Let  us  assume,  therefore,  that  in  dealing  with  a 
strongly  lighted  subject,  such  as  that  which  T have  indi- 
cated, we  have  only  succeeded  in  producing  a negative 
in  which  the  shadows  ])rint  too  dee])ly,  and  in  which 
the  high  lights  are  more  or  less  blocked  — a negative, 
in  fact,  which  yields  a result  such  as  that  reproduced  in 
Fig.  23. 

The  negative  to  be  dealt  with  must  first  be  intensi- 
fied with  the  ordinary  uranium  intensifier,  made  up  as 
follows : 

No.  I. 


Potassium  ferri-cyanide 20  grains 

Distilled  water 10  ounces 

Acetic  acid i dram 

No.  2. 

Nitrate  of  uranium 20  grains 

Distilled  water 10  ounces 

Acetic  acid i dram 


E(|ual  parts  of  the  solutions  are  mixed  just  before 
using.  The  two  solutions  keep  well  separately,  but 
cpiickly  deteriorate  when  mixed.  After  a slighc  wash- 
ing, the  negative  is  allowed  to  dry.  If  the  washing  is 
too  ])rolonged,  the  effects  of  intensification  will  disa])- 
pear,  and  the  negative  resume  its  original  a])])earance. 
V])  to  this  stage  no  improvement  in  the  printing  quality 
of  the  negative  has  been  effected.  Indeed,  if  we  were 


74 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


1 

I 


Fig  23. 


A 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY 


Fig.  24, 


;6 


PrCTORIAT.  r.AXDSCAPE  PIIOTOCRAPII Y. 


now  to  take  a trial  print,  which,  for  educational  pur- 
poses we  i)erha])s  had  better  do,  we  should  ])robably 
hud  that  we  had  merely  succeeded  in  making-  matters 
rather  worse  than  before.  It  is  true  that  we  may  find 
some  improvement  in  the  rendering  of  the  shadow 
detail,  hut  if  we  continue  printing  until  we  get  out  the 
high  lights,  we  shall  ultimately  find  it  buried  as  l>efore. 
The  reason  for  this  is,  of  course,  obvious.  Under  the 
action  of  the  intensifier,  the  shadows  have  been  gaining 
in  density,  l)ut  the  high  lights  have  also  been  growing 
correspondingly  o])a(iue.  The  special  utility  of  the 
uranium  system  of  intensification  will  now  become 
a])parent.  It  is  well  known  that  the  color  of  the  deposit 
produced  by  this  ])rocess  can  be  discharged  by  the 
a])j)lication  of  a weak  solution  of  an  alkali,  and  this 
property  is  turned  to  ])ractical  account  by  painting  over 
with  a camers-hair  Ijrush  charged  with  a weak  solution 
of  alkali  — ammonia,  for  exam])le  — those  ])ortions  of 
the  negative  which  ])rint  too  hard.  This  treatment 
gradually  removes  the  red  color,  and  brings  the  ])arts 
so  treated  back  to  their  original  condition  before  inten- 
sification. 

In  practice  some  care  and  skill  is  recpiired  to  carry 
out  the  operation  successfully.  It  will  be  found  best 
to  support  the  negative  on  an  ordinary  retouching  desk, 
or  a rough  substitute.  The  ammonia  or  other  alkaline 
solution  should  be  very  dilute,  so  that  its  action  may  I)e 
slow  and  well  under  control,  and  a glass  of  clean  water, 
which  must  l)e  constantly  changed  as  it  becomes 
charged  with  alkali,  and  a large  mo])  camel’s-hair  brush 
should  be  at  hand,  so  that  the  action  of  the  solution  may 
be  at  once  checked.  I"or  this  reason  it  is  desirable  to 
work  close  to  the  darkroom  sink,  so  that  the  whole 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPK  PIIOTOORAPII V. 


77 


negative  may  bo  from  time  to  time  well  washed  under 
the  tap.  Camers-hair  brushes  of  various  sizes  will  he 
found  most  suitable  for  applying  the  solution  if  the  sur- 
face to  he  treated  is  fairly  large,  hut  for  small  fine  work 
sable  brushes  are  much  superior.  One  great  advantage 
of  this  system  is  that  if,  by  want  of  skill  or  misadven- 
ture, the  desired  efifect  is  not  produced,  the  negative  can 
he  soaked  in  a weak  alkaline  solution  and  brought  hack 
to  its  original  condition,  and,  after  washing  and  drying, 
we  can  carry  out  the  i)i*ocess  dc  novo.  The  operation, 
though  somewhat  lengthy  to  describe,  is  by  no  means  a 
difficult  one  to  undertake,  and  I have  received  the 
hearty  thanks  of  many  photographers,  who  have  given 
it  an  un])rejudiced  trial.  It  may  he  that  the  appearance 
of  a negative  so  treated  will  not  commend  itself  to  every 
one,  hut  the  very  marked  improvement  in  the  resulting 
prints  will  probably  he  deemed  ample  compensation. 
As  I have  so  often  before  said,  and  I venture  once  more 
to  reiterate  the  opinion,  this  striving  among  photog- 
raphers after  the  “ perfect  technical  negative  ” — and 
that  which  in  many  cases  is  a false  standard  of  excel- 
lence — is  really  very  often  an  absolute  hindrance  to 
advancement.  Those  who  are  earnestly  striving  to 
secure  more  truthful  and  pictorial  results  than  arc  ordi- 
narily produced  by  photographic  methods  arc  well 
aware  that  it  is  by  no  means  the  best  looking  and  “ tech- 
nically good  ” negatives  which  enable  them  to  obtain 
the  most  artistically  and  pictorially  pleasing  results. 
The  negative  is  simply  a means  to  an  end,  though 
many,  judging  by  the  way  in  which  they  write  and  talk, 
seem  to  regard  it  as  the  ultima  thulc  of  photography. 
This  is  regrettal)le,  for  the  unavoidalile  limitations  are 
sufficiently  numerous  without  creating  avoidable  ones. 


Fig.  25, 


Fig.  26, 


8o 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPK  PIIOTOORAPII Y. 


L'ig.  24  is  reproduced  from  a print  taken  from  the 
same  negative  (but  after  treatment  in  the  manner 
described)  as  the  first  illustration  was  made  from,  and 
I think  the  improvement  effected  will  be  apparent  to 
tiie  most  casual  ol)server. 

I regard  this  method  as  so  valuable  to  the  artistic 
worker  that  I have  ventured  to  include  two  other  illus- 
trations from  the  same  negative,  one  before  and  one 
after  treatment,  which  are  ])erha])s  even  more  striking 
in  their  results.  I may  remark  that  in  both  instances 
the  original  ])rint  from  the  untouched  negative  looks 
better  as  a re])rodnction  than  it  does  as  a direct  print, 
for  the  half-tone  ])i*ocess  gives  it  a softer  quality  than  it 
really  possesses,  and  in  making  the  comparison  due 
regard  should  he  i)aid  to  this  fact.  The  subject  was  not 
altogether  an  easy  one,  on  account  of  the  lighting  com- 
ing as  it  did  almost  directly  from  the  front,  thus  caus- 
ing a very  strong  effect  of  light  and  shade;  - but  apart 
from  the  composition  of  the  ])icture,  which  is  good,  its 
strong  feature  is  the  fine  contrast  of  light  and  shade, 
and  that  elfect  I determined  to  do  my  best  to  secure. 
This  atteni])t,  despite  all  precautions,  was  only  partially 
successful,  and  the  best  result  I could  secure  from  the 
untouched  negative  is  shown  in  Fig.  25.  As  this  was 
so  extremely  unsatisfactory,  I then  endeavored  to  ascer- 
tain whether  any  system  of  “ doctoring  ” would  enable 
me  to  secure  a rendering  more  like  the  original  scene, 
the  beauty  of  which  had  so  im])ressed  me  at  the  time  of 
making  the  exposure.  The  negative  was  accordingly 
subjected  to  tbe  treatment  already  described  in  detail, 
with  the  result  that  a print  was  obtained  from  it  which 
gave  me  a fairly  truthful  rendering  of  the  subject. 

I doubt  not  that  exception  will  be  taken  to  the  adop- 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPK  PHOTOGRAPHY.  8l 

tion  of  such  methods  as  those  which  I have  described. 
But  I would  inquire  of  those  who  would  so  criticize 
them  whether,  when  the  artistic  perception  of  the  pho- 
tographer enables  him  to  recognize  a fault  or  shortcom- 
ing, and  a remedy  is  placed  in  his  hands,  it  is  not  mere 
carping  criticism  to  question  its  legitimacy  and  deny 
its  application  to  the  purpose  in  view? 


f) 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE  FOREGROUND  AND  ITS  TREATMENT. 

The  majority  of  landscape  subjects,  if  analyzed, 
will  be  found  to  be  made  np  or  composed  essentially  of 
three  parts,  namely,  foreground,  middle  distance,  and 
distance.  In  jdiotograpbs,  at  least  the  majority  of 
them,  the  chief  interest  will  be  in  the  foreground ; 
indeed,  to  the  pictorial  photographer  the  foreground 
may  1)e  said  to  be  the  most  valuable  part  of  the  picture. 
“A  good  foreground  subject  ’’  is  an  expression  often  in 
the  months  of  photographers,  for  even  the  untrained 
picturemaker  seems  to  instinctively  realize  that  in  the 
foreground  he  will  find  the  most  pleasing  features  of 
the  scenes  which  he  seeks  to  portray. 

A glance  at  any  collection  of  photographs  will  dem- 
onstrate the  truth  of  these  remarks  ; indeed,  a reference 
to  the  reproductions  which  illustrate  this  scries  of  arti- 
cles and  which  were  taken  to  illustrate  quite  different 
points,  will  all  prove  the  truth  of  the  assertion.  It  is  to 
emphasize  the  importance  of  the  foreground  to  the  pic- 
torial photographer  in  selecting  and  composing  his  pic- 
ture that  we  lay  so  great  a stress  upon  this  part  of  the 
subject. 

We  would  not,  however,  be  misunderstood;  in  art 
there  are  no  inexorable  rules  — no  laws  of  the  Mcdcs 
and  the  Persians  — and  many  beautiful  ])ictures  may  be 
found  in  which  the  foreground  is  only  of  secondary 
interest.  But  this  will  be  of  more  frequent  occurrence 


82 


PrCTORTAr.  T.ANnSCAPK  PHOTOGRAPHY.  83 

in  painting;*  or  drawing- ; in  photography  tlie  rule  we 
have  referred  to  wall  nsiially  ol)tain. 

As  a practical  illustration  of  the  importance  of  a 
suitable  foreground  let  us  refer  to  the  illustrations 
which  accompany  this  article.  Fig.  27  is  a view  of  a 
spot  well  known  to  English  photographers,  and  many 


Fig.  27. 


will  recognize  the  row  of  gaunt,  wind-swept  alders 
which  form  so  jiromincnt  a landmark  in  the  wide, 
marshy  district  hy  which  they  are  surrounded.  Now, 
our  aim  was  to  get  a good  pictorial  rendering  of  these 
trees,  hut  we  found  that,  owing  to  the  generally  unin- 
teresting nature  of  their  surroundings,  it  was  a task  hy 
no  means  easy  of  achievement. 

The  result  of  our  first  attempt  is  seen  in  Fig.  27,  and 
from  an  artistic  point  of  view  it  is  very  disa])])ointing. 
For  foreground  we  have  a wide  expanse  of  dreary, 
absolutely  uninteresting,  flat  marsh,  unrelieved  hy  any 
interesting  feature,  and  the  trees  themselves,  beautiful 
as  their  fantastic  outlines  look,  silhouetted  against  the 


84 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


light,  fail  to  impress  the  observer,  but  rather  resemble 
a group  of  stunted  saplings.  This  clearly  was  not  a 
successful  I'ealization  of  our  ideal,  and  we  spent  a long 
afternoon  in  tramping  the  surrounding  marshland  in 
search  of  a more  pleasing  point  of  view.  In  this  we 
were  eventually  rewarded,  for,  after  a time,  we  found  a 
])ath  and  a high  bank,  which  seemed  to  give  us  stronger 
and  more  definite  lines  in  our  foreground.  We  accord- 
ingly made  a second  exposure,  with  the  result  shown 
in  Fig.  28.  This  is  obviously  a more  pleasing  render- 
ing than  Fig.  27,  for  in  place  of  the  blank,  uninteresting 


Fig.  28. 

space  forming  the  foreground,  we  have  long,  grassy 
hillocks  and  a picturesciuely  winding  ^lath  which  insen- 
sibly leads  the  eye  from  the  immediate  foreground  to 
the  ])rinci])al  object  of  interest  in  the  picture,  namely, 
the  trees. 

l)Ut  we  were  not  entirely  satisfied  with  our  endeav- 
ors, and  wandering  round  in  same  locality  one  fine 
afternoon,  after  a heavy  and  continuous  spell  of  rain, 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPK  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


85 


we  came  upon  a ditch  which  in  ordinary  seasons  was 
usually  dry,  but  on  the  occasion  in  question  was  brim- 
full  of  water.  Here  was  our  long-sought-for  oppor- 
tunity; a fine  foreground  for  our  trees,  and  one  withal, 
that  would  strengthen  the  com])osition  rather  than 
weaken  it.  We  soon  decided  upon  the  ])oint  of  view 


Fig.  29. 


that  appeared  to  give  the  best  rendering  of  the  subject, 
and  exposed  our  plate,  with  the  result  shown  in  Fig.  29. 

The  student  will  find  it  instructive  to  compare  these 
several  attempts  and  with  the  aid  of  our  criticisms, 
analyze  their  respective  compositions.  Besides  the 
technical  lesson  we  desire  to  convey  by  what  we  have 
written,  we  would  impress  upon  our  readers  the  abso- 
lute necessity  of  a ])lentiful  supply  and  due  exercise  of 
perseverance  and  patience,  two  (jualities  that,  even 
among  photographers — a jiroverhially  patient  class  — 
are  far  too  rare. 

The  mere  casual  photograjdier,  working  in  such  a 
district  as  that  of  which  we  have  been  writing,  might 


86 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY, 


Fig.  30. 


‘ICTOKIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


«7 


have  rested  content  with  the  result  shown  in  our  tirst 
attempt,  and  would  consequently  have  missed  the 
reward  that  a more  painstaking  search  would  have 
resulted  in. 

W'e  trust,  however,  in  our  attempt  to  drive  home 
these  fundamental  truths  to  our  readers,  we  shall 
not  a])pear  unduly  egotistical  in  our  remarks,  because 
any  such  desire  is  very  foreign  to  our  intention. 

liefore  leaving  the  subject  of  these  particular  illus- 
trations we  would  ])oint  out  that,  in  Fig.  29,  although 
the  foreground  makes  the  i)icture,  yet  the  “ motif  ” or 
principal  object  is  not  to  he  found  in  it.  The  dominant 
feature  of  the  composition  is  still  the  characteristic 
group  of  trees,  the  importance  and  beauty  of  which  the 
introduction  of  a suitable  foreground  with  strong  lead- 
ing lines  has  greatly  enhanced  and  strengthened. 

As  an  illustration  of  a subject  in  which  the  interest 
unquestionably  centers  in  the  foreground,  we  would 
refer  the  reader  to  Fig.  30,  which  is  essentially  what  is 
called  “ a foreground  subject.’’  Its  attractiveness  and 
interest  lies  in*the  group  of  boats  on  the  muddy,  reed- 
grown  shore,  and  if  we  took  these  away  we  should  at 
once  rob  the  picture  of  any  merit  it  might  otherwise 
possess. 

In  dealing  with  foreground  subjects  some  care  is 
necessary  in  selecting  the  most  suitable  point  of  view. 
A mere  jumble  of  whatever  material  the  foreground 
may  happen  to  consist  of,  will  not  serve  our  purpose  or 
])roduce  a pictorial  result.  For  example,  in  the  locality 
where  we  found  the  subject  of  ‘ our  illustration, 
“ Strand-on-the-green,  near  Kew,”  the  shore  is  lined 
for  nearly  a mile  with  the  “ flotsam  and  jetsam  ” that 
will  accumulate  as  vears  roll  bv  on  the  banks  of  a tidal 


88 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


river  But  however  intrinsically  picturesque  such 
details  may  be,  to  indiscriminately  plank  the  camera 
down  and  make  a hai)hazard  exposure  would  not,  in 
the  majority  of  cases,  unless  by  a rare  and  happy 
chance,  result  in  the  success  which  a more  careful  selec- 
tion of  the  ])oint  of  view  would  ])robahly  bring  about. 
There  are,  of  course,  occasions  when  it  is  imjierative  to 
lose  no  time  in  securing,  ])erchance,  a fleeting  effect 
of  light  and  shade,  hut,  as  a general  rule,  the  photo- 
graphic picturemaker  should  never  he  in  a hurry,  either 
in  selecting  his  view  point  or  in  making  an  exjiosure. 
We  have  often  \vandered  for  hours  together  along  the 
waterside  hamlet  in  (piestion  and  sometimes  have 
been  rewarded  with  a rich  store  of  subjects,  while  at 
other  times  we  have  not  found  an  op|)ortunity  of  exjios- 
ing  a single  ])late.  1 lad  we  done  so,  under  the  then 
existing  conditions,  we  should  hut  have  been  wasting 
good  material. 

In  dealing  with  foregrounds,  a great  difficulty  will 
sometimes  be  experienced  in  keeping  the  subject-matter 
simjile  and  preserving  a due  breadth  of  effect.  The 
first  difficulty  can  only  be  overcome  by  a careful  observ- 
ance of  the  hints  already  given  in  selecting  the  ])oint  of 
view.  Recollect  that  you  do  not  want  to  include  a great 
many  jietty  details  in  your  ])icture,  each  rivaling  the 
other  in  attracting  attention.  One  or  two  boats 
strongly  grouped  together  in  a riverside  view,  for 
example,  will  form  a far  more  satisfactory  composition 
than  a number  of  little  boats  and  accessories  scattered 
broadcast  over  the  view.  In  the  one  case  we  shall 
secure  unity  and  breadth,  in  the  other  a number  of  dis- 
tracting details  wliicli  will  negative  or  destroy  both 
these  (jualities. 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


89 


We  must,  also,  be  very  careful  in  focusing  a fore- 
ground when  it  constitutes  the  principal  feature  in  our 
l)icture.  If  we  stop  down  unduly,  for  instance,  and 
make  everything  bilingly  sharp,  then  goodbye  to  all 
aerial  ])erspective  and  subtlety  of  expression.  Although 
i am  an  advocate  of  the  em])loyment  of  large  sto])s,  yet 
it  is  often  a mistake  to  concentrate  the  focus  ui)on  one 
plane  in  the  immediate  foreground,  because  the  sharp- 
ness of  the  definition  of  the  ]>art  focused  upon  will 
])robal)ly  be  in  glaring  and  inartistic  contrast  with  other 
])lanes,  which,  for  the  same  reason,  will  appear  more 
out  of  focus  than  they  in  reality  are.  In  dealing  with 
these  foreground  subjects  it  is  better  to  use  a single 
landscape  lens,  the  a])erture  of  which  has  been  opened 
up  sufficiently  to  make  it  just  impossible  to  secure  criti- 
cal definition  anyzohere.  This  will  give  a pleasingly 
soft  and  round  image  which  could  not  be  obtained  with 
a (loul)let,  or  indeed,  in  any  other  manner. 

In  warning  the  beginner  against  making  any  por- 
tion of  a foreground  study  too  sharp,  it  must  not  be 
inferred  that  we  are  advocating  the  production  of  a 
blurred  or  fuzzy  image.  In  short,  whatever  method  of 
working  is  adopted,  we  should  not,  in  looking  at  the 
result,  be  conscious  that  the  definition  is  either  sharp  or 
the  reverse.  Sometimes  a trial  jirint  will  reveal  the  fact 
that,  despite  all  our  care,  the  definition  is  too  wiry  and 
clear.  In  such  case,  a more  pleasing  result  may  with 
some  subjects  be  obtained  by  printing  through  a' sheet 
of  thin  celluloid. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


LANDSCAPR  WITH  FIGURES. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  at  all  but  that  the  introduc- 
tion of  a figure,  or  figures,  into  a landscape  view,  may, 
under  suitable  conditions,  greatly  enhance  its  pictorial 
qualities,  but  it  is  a power  which  the  ])hotographer  must 
exercise  the  greatest  caution  and  restraint  in  employ- 
ing. 

It  is  rather  a debatabk'  point  as  to  when  a partic- 
lar  landscape  subject  with  figures  should  be  strictly 
regarded  as  such,  and  when  it  should  be  treated  as  a 
figure  subject  |)ro])er,  and  in  our  photographic  exhibi- 
tions subjects  which  should,  properly  speaking,  be 
])laced  in  the  latter  category,  are  often  admitted  as 
landscapes.  In  competitive  work  this  practice  often 
operates  rather  unfairly,  for  it  is  an  undoubted  fact 
that  the  introduction  of  the  human  element  into  a land- 
scape as  a rule  greatly  adds  to  the  attractiveness  of 
the  photograph,  and  when  the  interest  in  the  figure 
])redominatcs,  creates  in  a landscape  class  an  unfair 
advantage. 

In  dealing  with  the  subject,  therefore,  we  propose 
to  treat  it  in  a strictly  legitimate  way ; that  is  to  say, 
only  to  deal  with  the  introduction  of  figures  in  so  far 
as  they  are  an  accessory  to,  and  in  no  sense  a dominant 
feature  of,  the  landscape  into  which  they  are  intro- 
duced. 

The  introduction  of  a figure  is  useful  and  helpful  in 


90 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


91 


many  ways,  besides  adding  an  element  of  interest  to 
the  landscape.  For  example,  it  will  frecpiently  afford 
ns  an  oiiportiinity  of  introducing  a strong  light,  or  a 


Fig.  31. 


deep  shadow,  in  some  part  of  the  picture  where  either 
the  one  or  the  other  may  he  needed ; indeed,  hy  such  a 
sini])le  means  as  this,  a fine  picture  may  often  he  created 
from  very  ]>oor  materials. 


92 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


We  have  insisted  upon  the  interest  in  the  figures 
being  sul)ordinated  to  the  interest  in  the  landscape,  and 
perhai)s  it  will  be  better  to  give  a ])ractical  illustration 
of  what  we  mean.  This  will  he  found  in  Fig.  31  and 
Fig.  32.  In  h'ig.  31  we  have  a picture  which  on  one 
occasion  we  entered  in  the  “ figure  ” class  at  an  exhihi-. 
tion,  hut  it  was  transferred  to  the  “ landsca])e  ” section 
by  the  selecting  committee.  In  doing  this  we  consider 
a mistake  was  made,  because  the  whole  sentiment  and 
interest  of  the  picture  is  absorbed  by  the  figures,  and 
the  landsca])e  ])ortion  of  it  is  entirely  of  secondary 
importance.  We  should  not  call  this  a legitimate  land- 
scape subject,  hut  essentially  a figure  study. 

In  hdg.  32,  however,  we  have  an  illustration  of  the 
introduction  of  a figure  subject  into  a landscape  in  such 
a manner  that  th.e  interest  of  the  former  has  not  been 
allowed  to  overpower  the  latter,  and  although  the  fig- 
ure is  ])laced  in  the  immediate  foreground,  it  does  not 
arrest  the  attention  from  all  else,  hut  remains  simply 
an  accessory,  as  it  were  — an  aid  to  the  general  effect. 
Ihit  while  not  constituting  the  chief,  or  ])aramount, 
interest,  the  solitary  waiting  figure  undoubtedly  adds 
to  the  general  effect,  and  its  absence  from  the  view 
would  he  a loss  rather  than  a gain. 

On  the  other  hand,  had  the  model  been  ])laced 
nearer  to  the  camera,  in  a more  ])rominent  ])osition,  or 
had  she  worn  a white,  or  light,  dress,  the  result,  from  a 
])ictorial  ])oint  of  view,  might  have  been  very  different. 

In  introducing  figures  into  his  landsca])es  with  a 
view  to  enhancing  the  ])ictorial  effect  of  the  latter,  the 
])hotographer  will  speedily  realize  the  limitations  and 
restrictions  which  ])hotogra])hy  imposes  u])on  its  vota- 
ries. Not  only  will  he  find  the  literal  translation  of  the 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


93 


Ftg.  yi. 


94 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


human  figure,  in  the  persons  of  those  who  serve  as  his 
models  and  as  given  by  the  lens,  often  awkward,  crude 
and  unsatisfactory,  but  he  will,  as  a rule,  experience  the 
greatest  difficulty  in  obtaining  the  services  of  suitable 
models. 

Above  all  things  would  T urge  upon  him  not  to 
descend  to  the  paltry  sul)terfuge  of  resorting  to  shams ; 
that  is  to  say,  employing  people  to  masquerade  in  attire 
which  they  are  not  in  the  habit  of  wearing.  Such  a sys- 
tem nearly  always  betrays  itself  in  the  stifif,  gauche  atti- 
tudes, and  the  self-conscious  stage-])layer  airs  of  those 
who  act  as  the  models.  Have  the  real  thing  or  none  at 
all.  If  you  think  a young  dairymaid,  for  exam])le, 
would  he  an  agreeable  accessory  in  a farmyard  scene, 
go  forth  into  the  country  and  find  the  actuality ; do  not 
he  guilty  of  the  enormity  of  getting  your  pretty  town- 
dweller  cousin  to  i)ut  on  a sun-honnet  and  ])ose  as  the 
milkmaid.  The’se  things,  we  are  aware,  have  been 
done,  and,  by  the  ignorant  or  uncultured,  have  been 
a])])lauded  as  works  of  art  and  held  up  for  imitation 
to  the  student.  lUit  happily  for  artistic  ])hotography, 
these  things  are  ])assing,  and  a ])urer,  better  and  truer 
a])])reciation  of  the  possil)ilities  of  ])hotogra])hy  and  of 
its  limitations  is  now  becoming  general. 

When  introducing  figures  into  the  com])osition,  any 
tendency  to  incongruity  must  he  studiously  avoided, 
and  at  times  this  is  a matter  that  will  present  no  small 
difficulty.  I'or  cxam])le,  we  should  not  im])rovc  a ])ic- 
turesque  ])iece  of  landscape  scenery  by  the  ])ortrayal  of 
a figure  attired  in  the  conventional  co.stume  of  the  day, 
in  a ])rominent  ]:>osition  in  the  foreground.  Yet  many 
otherwise  clever  photographers  are  frequently  guilty  of 


PICTOr^TAL  I.ANnSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


95 


1 


96 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


this  practice,  and  thereby  shock  the  artistic  sensibilities 
of  their  painter  friends. 

Before  introducing  a figure,  always  consider,  first, 
whether  the  proposed  addition  is  one  that  will  really 
improve  the  composition,  and,  secondly,  whether  the 
figure  (or  figures)  which  it  is  intended  to  introduce  are 
in  complete  harmony  with  their  surroundings. 

The  position  which  the  figures  are  allowed  to 
occupy  will  necessarily  have  a very  important  effect 
upon  the  comjiosition.  They  must  not,  as  we  have 
already  said,  occupy  a central  ])osition,  or  form  the 
chief  object  of  interest,  or  motive,  of  the  picture,  but 
should  he  so  ])laced  that,  while  contributing  to*  the  gen- 
eral harmony  of  the  composition,  they  occu])y  a second- 
ary or  subservient  position  in  relation  to  the  principal 
object. 

The  figures  introduced  should  be  in  harmony  with 
their  surroundings;  for  example  (Fig.  33),  we  natu- 
rally associate  fishermen  with  a marine  subject,  ami 
they  probably  would,  if  introduced,  enhance  the  pic- 
torial effect  of  a seascape ; hut  rustics  on  the  seashore, 
and  placed  amid  the  paraphernalia  of  the  fishermen, 
would  probably  strike  most  ])eo])le  as  being  incongru- 
ous, and  a shocking  exhibition  of  had  taste. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  fishermen  would  he  eijually 
out  of  place  in  a rural  landscape,  while  the  villagers 
would  he  quite  in  keeping  with  such  a subject. 

We  would  not  entirely  exclude  the  conventionally 
dressed  model  from  our  ])hotogra])hs,  for  under  certain 
conditions  we  may,  even  with  advantage,  avail  our- 
selves of  its  services,  jirovided,  of  course,  that  we  pay 
due  attention  to  the  ])recautions  already  referred  to  and 
avoid  perpetrating  some  glaring  incongruity  — such, 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PIIOTOCRAPII Y. 


97 


for  instance,  as  inchuling  in  the  foreground  of  a pictur- 
esque view  a person  clad  in  a frock  coat  and  tall  hat. 

As  an  exani])le  of  what  is  permissible  in  this  direc- 
tion, we  may  refer  the  reader  to  hdg.  34,  in  which  the 


Fig.  34. 

figure,  though  rather  nattily  dressed  in  everyday  attire, 
does  not  seem  out  of  place  in  the  beautiful  glen.  We 
feel  that  it  is  natural  to  meet  visitors  under  such  condi- 
tions, and  therefore  are  not  oppressed  by  any  feeling  of 
the  incongruity  of  the  figure  with  its  surroundings. 
Again,  in  the  next  illustration.  Fig.  35,  we  have  a 


98  PICTORIAL  LAXDSCAPL  PHOTOGRAPHY. 

group  of  tourists  in  the  conventional  holiday-making 
garb  of  their  kind,  but  we  find  them  under  circum- 
stances in  which  we  should  expect  to  meet  them,  and, 
therefore,  they  seem  not  at  all  an  inappropriate  addition 
to  a very  i)icturesque  view.  We  call  this  little  picture 
‘‘  The  First  \dew  of  Helvellyn/’  and  apart  from  what- 
ever pictorial  merit  it  may  possess,  it  is  of  melancholy 


Fig.  35. 

interest  because  it  is  no  longer  obtainable,  the  level  of 
Thirlmere  Lake  having  been  artificially  raised  some 
forty  feet,  thereby  entirely  submerging  the  very  ground 
on  which  the  group  of  tourists  stood.  . 

It  will  he  noticed  that  in  composing  this  picture 
regard  has  been  had  to  the  tenets  that  we  have  endeav- 
ored to  lay  down  in  this  cha])ter.  The  figures,  although 
forming  a pleasing  accessory  to  the  view,  are  yet  subor- 
dinated to  the  general  effect.  This  result  has  been 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


99 


arrived  at  by  not  placing'  them  obtrusively  in  the  imme- 
diate foreground,  in  which  position  they  would  have  at 
once  arrested  the  attention  from  all  else ; hut,  by  care- 
fully posing  them  in  an  easy  and  natural  manner,  in 
the  middle  distance,  any  undue  ]wominence  has  been 
avoided,  and  the  general  result  is,  we  venture  to  think, 
distinctly  ])leasing. 

We  have  spoken  of  “ posing,”  and  a word  or  two 
upon  that  subject  may  not  he  without  value.  Of  pos- 
ing, however,  in  the  stricter  sense  of  the  term,  we  do 
not  here  ])rofess  to  deal,  carrying  us,  as  it  would, 
beyond  the  scope  of  this  series  of  articles ; hut  in  deal- 
ing with  country  ])eo])le  some  difficulty  will  probably  he 
met  with  in  getting  a natural  and  easy  pose.  The  great 
secret  of  success,  under  such  circumstances,  is  to  put 
your  models  entirely  at  their  ease,  and  the  most  effec- 
tive way  of  accomplishing  this  is  by  abstaining  from 
any  attem])t  at  posing  them,  or  ])utting  them  into  a par- 
ticular attitude.  A few  minutes’  friendly  chat,  a pipe 
of  tobacco  in  the  case  of  a man,  and  an  observant  eye 
to  note  quickly  when  a natural  and  unaffected  pose  has 
been  quite  unconsciously  assumed,  will  afford  the  read- 
iest means  of  bringing  about  the  desired  result.  Any 
unusual  difficulty  may  usually  he  met  and  overcome  by 
allowing  the  proposed  model  to  engage  in  any  occupa- 
tion which  is  congenial  and  natural. 

It  may  ])cssihly  he  thought  by  some  that  we  have 
bestowed  an  undue  degree  of  attention  upon  this  part 
of  our  subject,  hut  we  think,  having  regard  to  its 
importance,  and  also  to  the  fact  that  so  many  fail  when 
attempting  to  introduce  figures  into  their  landscapes, 
that  we  are  more  than  justified  in  treating  it  in  such 
detail  as  may  prove  of  service  to  those  who  may  be 
anxious  to  learn  the  reason  of  their  former  failures. 


CHAPTER  X.- 


SUBJECTS  AND  THEIR  TREATMENT  — EXPRES- 
SION, ATMOSPHERE,  ETC. 

1 have  already,  incidentally,  referred  to  these  im- 
portant matters,  but  they  fully  deserve  our  complete 
attention.  I have  reminded  you  that  photographs, 
if  they  are  to  he  considered  pictorial,  must  possess 
motwc,  therefore  you  will  see  how  necessary  it  is 
that  you  should  pay  due  attention  to  the  selection  of 
subject.  Although  it  is  quite  true  that  in  this  respect 
the  photographer  has  by  no  means  the  freedom  of  the 
draftsman,  yet  he  has  abundant  scope  for  the  exercise 
of  his  skill  and  need  never  be  at  a loss  to  find  suitable 
material. 

As  a rule,  the  simpler  the  subject  the  more  effective 
the  result.  The  crowding  of  unnecessary  details  into 
the  composition  should  always  be  avoided.  A single 
tree,  or  at  any  rate  a single  group  of  trees,  will  prob- 
ably provide  a far  more  satisfactory  composition  than 
a whole  plantation  or  forest.  The  use  of  narrow-angle, 
or  long-focus,  lenses,  as  I have  already  pointed  out,  will 
to  a large  extent  prevent  us  from  falling  into  error  in 
this  direction  and  at  the  same  time  enable  us  to  impart 
dignity  and  impressiveness  to  our  rei)resentation  of  the 
subject.  Above  all  things,  avoid  a servile  imitation  of 
the  work  of  others.  Nature  in  all  her  moods,  smiling, 
grave  or  gay,  unfolds  her  charms  before  you,  and  it  is 
for  you  to  interpret  them  in  your  own  way,  using  all 
the  skill  which  you  possess.  By  all  means  study  the 


100 


PICTORIAL  LAXnSCAPH  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


lOI 


work  of  your  contemporaries  and  try  to  appreciate  their 
aims  and  motives,  but  even  if  you  are  tempted  to  work 
in  the  same  district,  or  on  the  same  class  of  suliject  as 
other  workers,  endeavor  as  far  as  you  can  to  avoid  any 
imitation  of  their  methods.  Study  the  subject  well,  and 
in  your  treatment  of  it  get  as  far  away  from  any  exist- 
ing rendering  as  you  possibly  can.  We  have,  nowa- 
days, “ schools  ” in  photography,  as  we  have  in  other 
branches  of  artistic  work,  but  the  student  will  be  wise 
if  he  dissociates  himself  from  any  such  influences.  In 
our  opinion,  they  make  more  for  evil  than  for  good,  in 
that  they  tend  to  check  individual  thought  and  effort, 
for  as  a rule  we  find  the  weak  many  are  content  to 
blindly  worship,  follow  and  imitate  the  strong  few  who 
lead  them. 

There  is  ample  held  for  originality,  both  of  subject 
and  treatment,  open  to  the  photographer.  Artistic 
landscape  photography  is  as  yet,  1 fully  believe,  in  its 
infancy,  and  we  shall  see  in  the  future,  with  the  intro- 
duction of  new  means  and  methods  of  working,  results 
produced  that  would  at  the  present  time  be  deemed 
impossible  of  attainment.  To  take  a single  instance, 
but  by  no  means  a solitary  one,  no  photographer  has  yet 
succeeded  in  giving  us  an  altogether  satisfactory  ren- 
dering of  mountainous  scenery.  Photographs  of 
mountains  are,  of  course,  familiar  enough,  but  their 
dignity,  vastness  and  air  of  mysterious  grandeur  has 
not  yet  been  adequately  presented  to  us  by  means  of 
photography.  Surely  such  a subject  may  be  deemed 
worthy  of  all  the  skill  and  genius  that  any  one  of  you 
can  bring  to  bear  upon  it. 

The  faculty  of  searching  for  and  finding  subjects 
is  undoubtedly  to  some  extent  a matter  of  temperament. 


102 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


as  indeed  in  an  equal  degree  is  the  manner  of  their 
treatment.  I have  noticed,  as  doubtless  most  of  us 
have,  that  the  fairest  scenes  in  nature  entirely  fail  to 
impress  some  individuals,  while  to  others  their  contem- 
plation affords  the  most  exquisite  pleasure,  and  between 
the  two  extremes  there  is  a fairly  long  gamut,  at  any 
portion  of  which  we  may  find  our  own  place,  reader, 
and  according  as  it  he  far  up  or  low  down,  so  will  be 
our  ability  to  find  material  and  give  it  suitable  expres- 
sion in  our  photographs. 

In  considering  the  treatment  of  a landscape  subject, 
the  faithful  rendering  of  atmosphere  is  all  important. 
Faulty  composition,  or  even  an  uninteresting  subject, 
may  be  entirely  condoned  if  the  sense  of  atmosphere  is 
brought  vividly  home  to  the  observer.  It  is  in  reality 
the  jiictorial  photographer’s  sheet  anchor,  and,  being 
so,  no  effort  should  be  spared  by  him  to  infuse  this 
quality  into  all  his  productions.  The  quality  we  call 
“ aerial  perspective  ” exerts  a most  extraordinary  influ- 
ence on  the  appearance  of  all  mundane  things.  To 
practically  demonstrate  this,  make  the  following  simple 
experiment:  Take  a couple  of  black  focusing  cloths, 
those  being  articles  usually  in  the  possession  of  every 
])hotographer,  or,  failing  these,  two  black  coats.  Place 
one  a couple  of  yards  from  you,  the  other  some  twenty 
or  so  yards  away,  and  stand  in  such  a j^osition  that  they 
ap])ear  to  come  into  juxtaposition  with  each  other.  If 
you  were  told  to  paint  these  two  coats  you  would  prob- 
ably think  you  could  do  so  with  the  same  brushful  of 
color ; why,  they  are  black  coats,  and  all  black  coats 
must  be  black ! But  a moment’s  observation  will  teach 
you  what  a great  diminution  of  strength  the  few  yards 
of  intervening  space  between  the  two  coats  make  in 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


103 


their  apparent  strength.  I say  “ apparent  strength  ” 
because  we  know  that  both  coats  are  equally  black,  and 
possibly  cut  from  the  same  piece  of  cloth,  the  difference 
in  tone  being  due  to  the  intervening  air  producing  what 
is  called  “ atmospheric  effect,”  or  a sense  of  distance. 

To  obtain  this  quality  all  sorts  of  expedients  are 
resorted  to  by  photographers,  such  as  focusing  near 
planes  in  the  picture,  using  large  stops  and  thereby 
throwing  the  distance  out  of  focus,  and  the  like ; but  by 
far  the  most  satisfactory  method  of  securing  it  is  to 
make  the  exposure  under  favorable  atmospheric  condi- 
tions, that  is  to  say,  when  there  is  a sufficient  amount 
of  moisture  present  in  the  atmosphere  itself  to  produce, 
without  artificial  aid,  the  natural  effect  desired.  Pos- 
sibly the  damp,  foggy  atmosphere  of  England  is  a 
potent  factor  in  the  production  of  those  charmingly 
liquid  atmospheric  effects  which  are  so  often  found  in 
English  landscape  work,  and  it  may  be  that  the  clearer 
and  drier  atmosphere  of  America,  or  at  all  events  of 
some  parts  of  it,  is  the  reason  why  similar  qualities  are 
sometimes  lacking  in  the  productions  of  American 
workers. 

The  lighting  of  the  subject,  or  rather  the  direction 
of  the  source  of  light  at  the  time  of  exposure,  will  also 
play  a most  important  part  in  the  rendering  of  atmos- 
phere, or  the  infusion  of  that  quality  into  the  photo- 
graph. Select  any  broad,  open  bit  of  country  in  which 
the  various  planes  are  removed  from  each  other  with  a 
fair  degree  of  distinctness  and  observe  the  appearance 
of  such  a scene  when  the  sun  is  behind  you  and  the 
lighting  is  coming  from  your  back.  Eoreground,  mid- 
distance and  distance  all  seem  equally  distinct,  the 
lighting  is  flat,  solid  and  wanting  in  luminosity.  Tf  a 


104 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


photograph  were  taken  imcler  such  conditions,  as  unfor- 
tunately many  are,  it  would  show  similar  characteris- 
tics in  an,  if  possible,  intensified  degree.  But  view  the 
same  scene*  earlier  or  later  in  the  day,  when  the  sun  is 
nearer  the  horizon  and  its  direction  more  to  the  right. 


Fig.  36. 

or  left,  or  even  in  front,  and  the  difference  in  its  appear- 
ance will  be  striking  to  even  the  most  casual  of  observ- 
ers. While  the  foreground  will  be  forcible  and  bold  in 
its  jilay  of  light  and  shade,  the  different  ])lanes  will 
appear  to  recede  or  retire  as  the  distance  increases,  and 
the  whole  effect  will  be  luminous  and  atmospheric, 
qualities  which  we  may  secure  in  our  ])hotograph  by 
carefully  timing  the  exposure  and  exercising  due  skill 
in  the  development  of  the  negative. 

The  inqiortance  of  securing  atmosj^heric  effect  can 
not  be  overrated,  and  time  and  trouble  spent  in  endeav- 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY.'  IO5 

oring’  to  obtain  it  should  never  be  deemed  wasted,  for  it 
does  not  matter  how  carefully  arranged  and  effective 
the  composition  of  a picture  may  be,  if  it  lacks  the  mys- 
terious, indehnable  charm  which  we  are  wont  to  call 
“ atmosphere." 

Yon  will  infer  from  what  I have  already  said  that 
the  actuality  can  not  always  be  obtained  at  command 
by  the  photographer,  and  to  secure  it  may  mean  the 
e.xpenditure  of  much  time  and  the  exercise  of  no  small 
amount  of  patience.  As  an  instance  of  this  I may  refer 
to  the  view  of  Loch  Voil  (Fig.  36),  in  which,  I think, 
the  sense  of  atmosphere  is  fairly  well  e.xpressed.  To 
secure  that  effect,  however.  I had  to  wait  for  several 
hours.  There  was  no  doubt  al)Out  the  composition,  the 
point  of  view  selected  gave  as  good  a “ line  " eff'ect  as 
could  be  desired,  but  everything  was  bathed  in  bright 
sunlight  and  appeared  hard  and  quite  lacking  in  the 
quality  that  I wished  to  suggest.  Toward  evening, 
however,  the  lighting  improved,  and  a soft  mist  rising 
from  the  water  greatly  aided  the  atmospheric  eff'ect 
which  was  alone  wanting  to  make  the  subject  well-nigh 
])erfect. 

The  other  subject  (Fig.  37),  was  found  at  lUirn- 
ham  Beeches,  and  actually  first  attempted  on  a clear, 
bright  spring  day,  but  the  birch  trees  and  the  dense 
undergrowth  looked  so  bitingly  crisp  and  obtrusive  that 
T at  once  destroyed  the  negative  and  made  a second 
attempt  under  more  favorable  conditions  of  weather, 
with  the  result  shown  in  the  illustration.  A great  deal 
of  trouble,  some  may  think ; but  nothing  good  or  satis- 
fying can  be  obtained  without  incurring  trouble,  and  a 
single  good  subject  is  better  worth  obtaining  than  a 
score  of  merelv  ordinarv  ones. 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPK  PHOTOGRAPHY, 


io6 


I 


CHAPTER  XL 


PRINTING,  MOUNTING,  ETC.— CONCLUSION. 

Perhaps  1 can  not  more  fitly  bring  these  notes  to  a 
conclusion  than  by  a brief  reference  to  printing  meth- 
ods. Whatever  may  be  his  limitations  in  other  direc- 
tions, the  photographer  has  here  a wide  range  of  choice, 
and  by  a careful  selection  of  his  process  he  may  obtain 
almost  any  desired  effect  so  far  as  the  color  of  the  pho- 
tograph and  the  texture  of  the  surface  upon  which  it  is 
printed  will  exert  an  influence  for  good  or  ill  upon  it. 

I often  think  that  in  this  respect  photographers  do 
not  avail  themselves,  so  far  as  they  might,  of  the  oppor- 
tunities which  the  variety  and  excellence  of  the  various 
printing  processes  of  the  present  day  afford,  I consider 
that  the  photographer  who  earnestly  desires  to  succeed 
in  producing  pictorial  photographs  should  possess  suffi- 
cient technical  knowledge  to  successfully  work  all  the 
better  known  printing  methods,  including  platinum, 
silver,  carbon  and  bromide. 

Of  the  relative  merits  of  these  it  is  difficult  to  speak. 
Platinum  and  carbon  have  an  undoubted  advantage 
over  the  others  in  point  of  permanence.  Printed-out 
silver  prints  in  the  main  are  more  or  less  fugitive, 
though  bromide,  which  is  of  course  also  a silver  proc- 
ess, though  produced  by  development,  when  properly 
treated,  namely,  thoroughly  fixed  and  washed,  appears 
to  be  for  all  reasonable  purposes  fairly  permanent. 

This  raises  the  moot  point : Should  the  artistic  pho- 


107 


loS  riCTOUIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 

tographer  use  only  those  printing  methods  which  are 
recognized  as  permanent  ? It  is  of  course  desirable  that 
any  artistic  production,  lie  it  only  a photogra]ih,  should 
possess  the  quality  of  permanence,  and  if  the  intention 
he  to  offer  it  for  sale,  the  desirability  of  its  possessing 
such  an  attribute  is  all  the  greater. 

The  three  processes,  platinum,  carbon  and  bromide, 
will,  I think,  afford  the  art  student  as  much  scope  for 
obtaining  variety  of  effect  as  he  will,  speaking  gener- 
ally, need.  It  is  not  my  intention  to  discuss  the  rival 
merits  of  these  jirocesses.  A full  mastery  of  the  tech- 
nical difficulties  of  working  them  should  be  obtained. 
As  to  which  should  be  adopted,  and  when,  is  matter  for 
individual  observation  and  judgment.  Be  it  remem- 
bered that  art  is  indeiiendent  of  the  method  by  which  it 
is  expressed,  and  this  is  as  true  of  photograjihy  as  of 
any  other  jiliase  of  graphic  art.  As  experience  increases 
and  judgment  grows,  the  ideal  will  manifest  itself  intu- 
itively that  a particular  efifect  will  he  most  readily 
gained  by  resorting  to  a particular  process.  Until  that 
time  arrives,  trial  ]:>rints  should  be  made  by  different 
])i*ocesses,  and  these  should  he  submitted  to  a careful 
and  critical  consideration,  with  a view  to  determining 
which  ])articular  one  most  perfectly  expresses  the  idea, 
or  conce])tion,  in  the  mind  of  its  producer. 

When  we  have  succeeded  in  producing  a print 
which  more  or  less  gives  expression  to  the  sentiment  we 
desire  to  convey,  we  may  well  consider  whether  it  is 
capable  of  further  improvement.  It  will  sometimes  be 
found,  despite  all  our  care  in  choosing  the  ])oint  of 
view  and  in  selecting  a lens  to  give  us  just  the  angle  we 
sought  to  include  on  the  ground  glass  of  our  camera, 
that  we  have,  notwithstanding,  taken  in  a great  deal  of 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY.  lOQ 

unnecessary  subject.  Here  the  judicious  use  of  the 
trimming  knife  will  stand  us  in  good  stead,  and  we  may 
often  with  advantage  use  it  with  an  unsparing  hand 
upon  what  we  hoped  to  regard  as  a finished  picture. 
The  tendency  of  the  lens  is  always  to  include  too  much, 
and  it  is  often  not  until  we  have  actually  made  our  print 
that  we  can  form  an  accurate  judgment  in  the  matter. 
The  conventional  stock  sizes  of  photographic  plates  are 
usually  too  square  for  the  majority  of  landscape  sub- 
jects, but  no  rules  can  be  laid  down  for  determining 
what  proportions  should  be  adopted,  because  what 
might  be  suitable  for  one  particular  subject  would 
probably  be  unsuitable  for  another ; good  taste  alone 
must  be  the  guide.  While  I warn  you  against  conven- 
tionality in  such  matters,  I would  equally  warn  you 
against  eccentricity.  A few  years  back  we  saw  in  this 
country  a great  deal  of  eccentricity  in  so-called  artistic 
photography,  but,  happily,  ‘like  all  fads,  it  soon  faded 
into  obscurity.  Recently  the  disease  — if  it  may  be  so 
termed  — has  again  appeared  in  America,  and  may  its 
existence  there  be  as  short-lived  as  it  was  here. 

A useful  device  for  assisting  in  deciding  upon  the 
best  proportions  for  a photograph  may  be  made  by  cut- 
ting out  two  L-shaped  pieces  of  stout  card,  one  arm  of 
each  being  longer  than  the  other.  These  can  be  placed 
upon  the  print  and  moved  about  until  the  best  result  is 
obtained.  The  trimming  knife  can  then  be  allowed  to 
do  its  work  with  certainty  and  decision. 

Perha])s  a few  words  upon  mounting  and  framing 
may  not  be  without  value  when  the  effect  for  good  or 
evil  they  have  upon  the  photograph  is  realized.  Many 
an  artistically  pleasing  photograph  is  ruined  by  an 
unsuitable  mount  or  frame,  or  perhaps  by  both,  and  too 


1 10 


riCTOKlAL  LANDSCAPE  PII0T(JGRAPH Y. 


much  care  and  attention  can  not  be  bestowed  upon  the 
selection  of  either. 

h"or  some  time  past  it  has  been  customary  to  use 
broad  moldings  foi  the  frames  of  photographs,  and  to 
dispense  with  mounts.  Just  recently,  however,  there 
appears  to  be  a recrudescence  in  favor  of  large  mounts 
and  narrow  frames.  Both  methods  are  effective  when 
not  carried  to  extremes.  The  use  of  very  broad,  heavy 
frames,  or  of  very  large  mounts,  is  to  be  deprecated 
and  avoided.  In  this  country  mounts  made  to  imitate 
the  plate  mark  of  an  engraving  are  popular  with  many 
people,  but  we  object  to  them  because  they  are  a sham. 
A photograph  is  not  printed  from  a metal  plate,  nor 
does  the  negative  leave  its  impress  upon  the  sensitive 
paper ; moreover,  it  has  sufficient  beauty  of  its  own 
without  needing  enhancement  by  causing  it  to  clumsily 
imitate  the  appearance  of  a steel  engraving.  A plain 
mount  of  suitable  tone,  or  tint,  to  harmonize  or  contras^ 
with  the  photograph  placed  upon  it,  will  always  look 
well,  and  anything  in  the  nature  of  further  embellish- 
ment will  generally  detract  from  rather  than  improve 
the  ultimate  result.  The  color  of  the  mount  is  all 
important ; the  whites  and  drabs  and  chocolates  and 
bronze-greens  offered  by  the  store  dealers  should  be 
avoided,  for  they  will  rarely  i)roduce  a ])leasing  and 
reposeful  effect.  For  all-round  purposes  there  is  prob- 
ably nothing  to  surpass  brown  paper ; but  it  must  be  of 
the  right  color,  and  unless  you  have  used  it  for  this  pur- 
])ose,  reader,  you  will  probably  not  be  aware  what  a 
variety  of  color  ’and  texture  brown  paper  alone  will 
afford.  Do  not,  by  the  way,  allow  the  mount  to  be  dis- 
])ro])ortionately  large  as  compared  with  the  size  of  the 
])hotograph.  If  the  relative  areas  be  as  three  to  one  the 


PICTORIAL  LANDSCAPE  PHOTOGRAPHY. 


1 1 1 


effect  will  generally  be  good,  though  of  course  no  arbi- 
trary rule  can  be  laid  down.  It  is  considered  “ good 
art  ” in  certain  quarters  just  now  to  place  the  print  in 
one  corner  of  the  mount,  or  at  one  side  — in  fact,  any- 
where but  in  the  center,  but  I trust  my  readers  will  not 
allow  themselves  to  be  influenced  by  such  eccentric 
examples.  In  a word,  and  as  a golden  rule  in  endeav- 
oring to  form  a judgment  in  these  final  but  important 
details,  always  bear  in  mind  that  simplicity  and  unob- 
trusivcncss  are  the  best  evidences  of  refinement  and 
good  taste. 

My  task  is  now  finished.  The  work  has  been  a 
pleasure,  and  in  talking  of  my  beloved  art  to  my  fellow 
workers  in  America  I feel  that  I have  made  many  new 
friends  whose  friendship  will  not  be  the  less  sincere 
because  we  are  personally  unknown  to  each  other. 


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Photo=Beacon  Exposure  Tables. 

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A Reference  Book  of  Practical 

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paper.  Requires  no  dark 
room  and  renders  exquisitely 
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1 


The 

Photo-Beacon 

Exposure 

Tables 


are  Guaranteed  Correct. 
Price,  25c.  30,000  Copie*  sow. 


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